Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 2 - 1 Crime Statistics Chapter 2

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc.Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 2 - 2 - 11

Crime Statistics

Chapter 2

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 2 - 2

A History of Crime A History of Crime StatisticsStatistics

►AndrAndréé-Michel Guerry (1802-1866)-Michel Guerry (1802-1866) Calculated per capita crime rates.Calculated per capita crime rates.

►Adolphe QuAdolphe Quéételet (1796-1864)telet (1796-1864) Assessed variation in crime rates based Assessed variation in crime rates based

on climate and people’s sex and age.on climate and people’s sex and age. ““thermic law”thermic law”


Usefulness of Crime Usefulness of Crime StatisticsStatistics

►Describes the nature and extent of Describes the nature and extent of crimecrime

►Provides empirical data to support Provides empirical data to support criminology theory developmentcriminology theory development

►Assists with social policy and program Assists with social policy and program evaluationevaluation

►Provides a picture of riskProvides a picture of risk


Sources of Crime StatisticsSources of Crime Statistics

►Uniform Crime Reporting SystemUniform Crime Reporting System Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada Canadian Centre for Justice StatisticsCanadian Centre for Justice Statistics

►Victimization SurveyVictimization Survey Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada General Social SurveyGeneral Social Survey

►Self-report StudiesSelf-report Studies Conducted by researchersConducted by researchers


Uniform Crime Reporting Uniform Crime Reporting SystemSystem

►Established in 1961Established in 1961►Revised in 1992Revised in 1992►Based on police reportsBased on police reports

Includes only those crimes that are Includes only those crimes that are reported to police.reported to police.

►Divides crime into six categoriesDivides crime into six categories


Shortcomings of the Shortcomings of the Uniform Crime Reporting Uniform Crime Reporting

SystemSystem►True rates of crime are True rates of crime are

underestimated (dark figure of crime)underestimated (dark figure of crime)► Inconsistent police reporting methodsInconsistent police reporting methods►Method used to “count” incidents of Method used to “count” incidents of

crimecrime► Inconsistent legal definitionsInconsistent legal definitions


Victimization SurveysVictimization SurveysCharacteristics:Characteristics:

Data is collected through random Data is collected through random telephone surveys of selected households.telephone surveys of selected households.

Participants are asked about their Participants are asked about their experiences with the criminal justice experiences with the criminal justice system and specific types of crimes.system and specific types of crimes.

Includes crimes that have not been Includes crimes that have not been reported to police.reported to police.

Combine with UCR to provide more Combine with UCR to provide more accurate picture of crime and criminal accurate picture of crime and criminal activity.activity.


Examples of Victimization Examples of Victimization SurveysSurveys

►Canadian Urban Victimization SurveyCanadian Urban Victimization Survey

►General Social SurveyGeneral Social Survey

►Violence Against Women SurveyViolence Against Women Survey

► International Crime Victimization International Crime Victimization SurveySurvey


Canadian Urban Canadian Urban Victimization SurveyVictimization Survey

►Conducted in 1981Conducted in 1981►Solicitor General of CanadaSolicitor General of Canada► Included eight categories of crimeIncluded eight categories of crime►Revealed that fewer than 42% of the Revealed that fewer than 42% of the

victimizations identified in this survey victimizations identified in this survey had been reported to the policehad been reported to the police


General Social SurveyGeneral Social Survey

►Began in 1988Began in 1988►Conducted by Statistics CanadaConducted by Statistics Canada►Conducted every five yearsConducted every five years►Targets Canadians Targets Canadians 15 years old 15 years old►Eight types of victimization are recordedEight types of victimization are recorded►Details of victimization recordedDetails of victimization recorded►Demographic information also collectedDemographic information also collected


Violence Against Women Violence Against Women SurveySurvey

►Conducted by Statistics Canada in 1993Conducted by Statistics Canada in 1993► Included women Included women 18 years 18 years►Examined the amount of physical and Examined the amount of physical and

sexual violence experienced by women sexual violence experienced by women since the age of 16since the age of 16

►Also examined perceptions of personal Also examined perceptions of personal safetysafety


International Crime International Crime Victimization SurveyVictimization Survey

►Survey conducted in 1989, 1992, Survey conducted in 1989, 1992, 1996, and 20001996, and 2000

►Victimization for 11 offences was Victimization for 11 offences was recordedrecorded

►Examined past 5 yearsExamined past 5 years


Shortcomings of Shortcomings of Victimization SurveysVictimization Surveys

►Actual crime may be over-reportedActual crime may be over-reported►Dependent upon memory, honesty of Dependent upon memory, honesty of

respondentsrespondents►No way to verify information from No way to verify information from

respondentsrespondents►Do not record information on incidents Do not record information on incidents

of “victimless” crimesof “victimless” crimes


Self-Report StudiesSelf-Report Studies

►Most self-report studies are conducted Most self-report studies are conducted with youthwith youth

►Help provide a more clear and complete Help provide a more clear and complete picture of crime and criminalspicture of crime and criminals

►Particularly useful to highlight the Particularly useful to highlight the relationship between social class and relationship between social class and crimecrime


Shortcomings of Self-Shortcomings of Self-Report StudiesReport Studies

► Inaccuracy of informationInaccuracy of information Respondent may fail to disclose or Respondent may fail to disclose or

exaggerate behaviourexaggerate behaviour Respondent may not rememberRespondent may not remember

►Lack of standardized collection Lack of standardized collection methodsmethods Comparable questionsComparable questions Time framesTime frames Geographic areasGeographic areas


Social Dimensions of CrimeSocial Dimensions of Crime

►Reveal a relationship between a Reveal a relationship between a measurable variable and crimemeasurable variable and crime

►Correlation does not necessarily imply Correlation does not necessarily imply causationcausation

►Correlates of crime are those variables Correlates of crime are those variables observed to be related to criminal observed to be related to criminal activityactivity


Correlates of CrimeCorrelates of Crime

►AgeAge

►GenderGender

►EthnicityEthnicity

►Social classSocial class


Age and CrimeAge and Crime

►Age is one of the strongest correlates Age is one of the strongest correlates of criminal behaviourof criminal behaviour

►Criminal activity is associated more Criminal activity is associated more with youth than any other stage of lifewith youth than any other stage of life

►Criminal victimization also associated Criminal victimization also associated with age with age


Age and Crime in CanadaAge and Crime in Canada


Gender and CrimeGender and Crime

►““the best single predictor of criminality…”the best single predictor of criminality…”►Offenders are more likely to be maleOffenders are more likely to be male►Rate of female criminality has increased Rate of female criminality has increased

substantially since the 1960’ssubstantially since the 1960’s►Female offenders are more often followers Female offenders are more often followers

than leaders in criminal activitythan leaders in criminal activity


Ethnicity and CrimeEthnicity and Crime

►Statistics come from studies using Statistics come from studies using incarcerated offenders or inmate profilesincarcerated offenders or inmate profiles

►Aboriginal peoples are over-represented Aboriginal peoples are over-represented in Canada’s correctional facilitiesin Canada’s correctional facilities

►Aboriginal peoples are more likely to be Aboriginal peoples are more likely to be victims of violent offencesvictims of violent offences


Social Class and CrimeSocial Class and Crime

►People from all social classes commit People from all social classes commit crimescrimes

►Disagreement on the correlation Disagreement on the correlation between social class and crime has between social class and crime has been evident in the literaturebeen evident in the literature

►Current literature presents a Current literature presents a significant correlation between social significant correlation between social class and criminalityclass and criminality


Summary of Social Summary of Social Dimensions of Crime Dimensions of Crime

AgeAgeMostly younger Mostly younger

individualsindividuals

GenderGenderMostly malesMostly males

EthnicityEthnicityOverrepresentation of Overrepresentation of Aboriginal CanadiansAboriginal Canadians

Social ClassSocial ClassMostly lower Mostly lower

socioeconomic classsocioeconomic class

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Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 2 - 1 Crime Statistics Chapter 2