Crime Statistics By Mike Maguire

Mike Maguire:

 Crime statistics are not simple reflection of ‘facts’, but one of many possible tools for gaining a better understanding of the highly complex and rapidly changing forms of behavior that can be described as ‘crime’. A ‘rise (or fall) in crime’ indicated by police records or survey results should be regarded as an important piece of evidence about, rather than conclusive proof of, changes in the scale and patterns of such behaviours.

 Crime statistics are not immune from political and social change, and the ways in which data about crime are collected, analysed, and presented (and the importance and resources attached to them) are both influenced by, and influence, changes in thinking about the nature and importance of