AC1.6 - Evaluate methods of collecting data
INTRODUCTION
There are two ways of collecting crime statistics, the Home Office statistics and the Crime
Survey of England and Wales
Home Office Statistics of crime
Reports of crime from 43 police forces across England and Wales are collected on a
monthly basis and are sent to the Home Office. These statistics are national statistics
and are published to the public.
Home office statistics only cover notifiable crimes.
Crime Survey of England and Wales
They ask around 50,000 people across the country if they have been affected by
crime in the past 12 months, because of this, the data for the survey is only collected
annually and is usually done face-to-face with victims.
RELIABILITY
Home Office Statistics of crime
Strengths – Home office statistics are thought to be reliable as it is expected that all
police staff across the country have to follow the same procedures and policies when
recording crime
Limitations – However, this isn't often the case, police officers are still humans and
so are susceptible to making human errors which decrease its reliability.
Police officers may record the same crimes differently eg, if someone has
experienced physical harm in an attack, one police officer may note the incident
down as assault like another officer may record it as assault with injury.
The policies for some crimes may also be different in different police forces such as
what they class as a crime and what not. Eg, some police forces may not record
robbery for objects under £10 while others may not record theft for objects under
£20.
Home office also acknowledges that police data is not always correct
This means the reporting is inconsistent and so unreliable.
Crime Survey of England and Wales
Strengths – Surveys are seen as being more reliable than Home office statistics as
they are face-to-face interviews with victims of crime. Each individual is likely to be
asked the same questions.
This means that their answers are more or less likely to be the same regardless of
who the individual is which again is likely to increase the reliability and validity of the
survey.
INTRODUCTION
There are two ways of collecting crime statistics, the Home Office statistics and the Crime
Survey of England and Wales
Home Office Statistics of crime
Reports of crime from 43 police forces across England and Wales are collected on a
monthly basis and are sent to the Home Office. These statistics are national statistics
and are published to the public.
Home office statistics only cover notifiable crimes.
Crime Survey of England and Wales
They ask around 50,000 people across the country if they have been affected by
crime in the past 12 months, because of this, the data for the survey is only collected
annually and is usually done face-to-face with victims.
RELIABILITY
Home Office Statistics of crime
Strengths – Home office statistics are thought to be reliable as it is expected that all
police staff across the country have to follow the same procedures and policies when
recording crime
Limitations – However, this isn't often the case, police officers are still humans and
so are susceptible to making human errors which decrease its reliability.
Police officers may record the same crimes differently eg, if someone has
experienced physical harm in an attack, one police officer may note the incident
down as assault like another officer may record it as assault with injury.
The policies for some crimes may also be different in different police forces such as
what they class as a crime and what not. Eg, some police forces may not record
robbery for objects under £10 while others may not record theft for objects under
£20.
Home office also acknowledges that police data is not always correct
This means the reporting is inconsistent and so unreliable.
Crime Survey of England and Wales
Strengths – Surveys are seen as being more reliable than Home office statistics as
they are face-to-face interviews with victims of crime. Each individual is likely to be
asked the same questions.
This means that their answers are more or less likely to be the same regardless of
who the individual is which again is likely to increase the reliability and validity of the
survey.
