Crime Measurement

Sample Solution

   

Logistical obstacles to the effective and efficient measurement of crime:

• Problems of definition: The interpretation of behaviors that seem to be criminal offenses can be problematic. For example, what constitutes a "violent crime"? What constitutes a "property crime"?
• Problems of resources: Thousands of criminal justice jurisdictions report official criminal justice statistics. However, not all jurisdictions have the resources to collect and report data accurately and consistently.
• Problems of politics: Public officials may be reluctant to report high crime rates, as this can reflect poorly on them and their communities.

Full Answer Section

      Dark figure of crime: The dark figure of crime refers to crimes that are not reported to the police or other authorities. There are many reasons why people may not report crimes, such as fear of retaliation, lack of trust in the police, or the belief that the crime is too minor or insignificant to report. Calculating the crime rate: The crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the population of the area and multiplying by 100,000. For example, to calculate the crime rate in a city of 519,415 people that reported 44,896 criminal offenses in 2018, you would divide 44,896 by 519,415 and multiply by 100,000. This gives you a crime rate of 8,641.06 crimes per 100,000 people. Problems with using the NIBRS to report crime:

• The NIBRS is a complex system that requires a significant investment of time and resources to implement.
• The NIBRS is not universally used by all law enforcement agencies.
• The NIBRS can be difficult to interpret, as it collects data on a wide range of crime-related variables.

Advantages of using the following three types of crime measurements:

• UCR: The UCR is the most comprehensive and widely used measure of crime in the United States. It allows for comparisons of crime rates over time and across different jurisdictions.
• Victimization survey: Victimization surveys provide information about crimes that are not reported to the police. This information can be used to develop crime prevention and victim support programs.
• Self-report studies: Self-report studies provide information about crimes that are committed by people who are willing to admit to them. This information can be used to study the prevalence of certain types of crime and to identify risk factors for crime.

Each of these crime measurements has its own strengths and weaknesses. By using all three types of measurements, we can get a more complete picture of crime in our society.