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Unlock This CourseVictim surveys are research tools used by sociologists and criminologists to collect information directly from the public about their experiences of crime, whether reported to the police or not. These surveys help us understand the true extent of crime in society beyond what official statistics tell us.
Key Definitions:
National Surveys: Large-scale surveys covering entire countries, like the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).
Local Surveys: Smaller surveys focusing on specific areas or communities.
Targeted Surveys: Focus on specific types of crime or particular groups (e.g., domestic violence surveys).
Official crime statistics only show crimes reported to and recorded by the police. Many crimes go unreported for various reasons:
Formerly known as the British Crime Survey, the CSEW is one of the largest and most established victim surveys in the world. It began in 1982 and interviews around 35,000 adults each year about their experiences of crime.
The CSEW interviews people aged 16 and over living in private households. Since 2009, it has also included a separate survey for children aged 10-15. It covers personal crimes (like assault and theft) and household crimes (like burglary). The survey is conducted face-to-face by trained interviewers, with sensitive questions completed privately by respondents on a computer.
The CSEW provides valuable data on:
The ICVS is a global survey that allows for comparisons of crime experiences across different countries. It uses standardised questions and methods to ensure data can be compared internationally.
One of the most important contributions of victim surveys is revealing the 'dark figure of crime' – crimes that never appear in official statistics because they aren't reported to or recorded by police.
Even victim surveys can't uncover all crime. Some types of crime remain difficult to measure:
Victim surveys show that reporting rates vary significantly by crime type:
Victim surveys have been crucial in revealing the true extent of domestic violence. The CSEW includes a self-completion module on domestic abuse that shows rates much higher than police statistics suggest. For 2020, while police recorded about 845,000 domestic abuse-related incidents, the CSEW estimated there were around 2.3 million adults who experienced domestic abuse – showing that less than 40% of incidents come to police attention. This has led to policy changes and increased support services for victims.
Victim surveys and police statistics often tell different stories about crime. Understanding both gives us a more complete picture.
When we compare victim surveys with official crime statistics, we notice several important patterns:
The CSEW estimated there were 10.2 million offences against households and adults in England and Wales (excluding fraud and computer misuse). This is more than double the 5.8 million crimes recorded by the police in the same period. For some crimes like theft, the difference is even greater. The survey also found that only 42% of comparable crimes were reported to the police, showing how much crime remains invisible in official statistics.
For sociologists, victim surveys provide invaluable insights that help us understand crime as a social phenomenon:
Victim surveys help test and develop sociological theories about crime by providing data on:
Victim surveys demonstrate key sociological research principles:
Victim surveys are essential tools for understanding crime in society. They reveal the significant gap between recorded crime and people's actual experiences, helping sociologists, policymakers and the public gain a more accurate picture of crime patterns and trends. While they have limitations, victim surveys provide crucial data that complements official statistics and helps shape more effective responses to crime.
By combining insights from victim surveys with official crime statistics and other research methods, sociologists can develop a more comprehensive understanding of crime as a social phenomenon – one that reflects not just the actions of individuals but also broader social structures, inequalities and power relationships in society.