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Crime Of The Century - A Chilling Look At Crime Statistics In The UK


4. CRIME STATISTICS IN ENGLAND & WALES Source Document: http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/crime-statistics-independent-review-06.pdf


Public trust in the crime statistics produced by the Home Office has declined to such an extent that it is no longer possible to have a debate about alternative criminal justice policies on the basis of agreed facts about the trends in crime. There are early signs that the Coalition Government, and in particular, the Home Secretary Theresa May and Police and Justice Minister Nick Herbert are mindful of the malaise that exists in this area and are keen to introduce changes to the production and release of crime statistics so that public trust is re-established.


Public trust in crime statistics can be undermined by any or all of the following:


• Presentations of statistics that are perceived to be in conflict with – or of no relevance to – the direct individual experiences of members of the public;


• Presentations of statistics using categories or definitions that do not accord with public common sense interpretations;


• Presentation of conflicting statistics apparently open to widely differing interpretations;


• Lack of coverage of significant areas of criminal activity and victims; • Perceived potential for police or ministerial interference in the production and presentation of the statistics.


A shift in emphasis is required in the production and communication of crime information.


The focus must shift from the publication, by the Home Office, of the aggregate national picture to a system of communication which encompasses local data at local level between police and their neighbourhood communities.


Both the scope and definitions of the national statistics that are produced need a radical overhaul.


Significant groups of victims are not covered by current surveys and certain major current crime category definitions are confusing and misleading.


Governance, management and organisation of the police and Home Office environments in which crime statistics are produced and reported must be revised to provide the public with complete assurance of actual and perceived independence and integrity of the statistics.


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