NCJ Number
29102
Journal
COLLECTED STUDIES IN CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH Volume: 5 Dated: (1973) Pages: 7-34
Date Published
1970
Length
28 pages
Annotation
DISCUSSION OF THE NATURE OF THE 'DARK FIGURE' OR THE RATES OF UNREPORTED CRIMINALITY.
Abstract
THE PAPER EXAMINES UNREPORTED CRIME IN RELATION TO THE FOLLOWING FOUR AREAS: FIRST, CASES IN WHICH CRIMES ARE NOT REPORTED TO OR RECORDED BY THE POLICE AND THEREFORE DO NOT APPEAR IN OFFICIAL POLICE STATISTICAL RECORDS (THE 'DARK FIGURE' IN CRIME.); SECOND, CASES IN WHICH THE CRIMES ARE RECORDED BY THE POLICE BUT WITH RESPECT TO WHICH NO OFFENDER IS DETECTED OR APPREHENDED. (THE 'DARK FIGURE' OF CRIMINALITY IN THE POPULATION.); THIRD, CASES IN WHICH THE CRIMES ARE RECORDED BY THE POLICE AND THE SUSPECT IS INTERVIEWED, OR THE ACCUSED IS ARRESTED, BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS THE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS ARE NOT CARRIED THROUGH TO A VERDICT, OR IF THEY ARE THE ALLEGED OFFENDER IS NOT CONVICTED. (THE 'GREY FIGURE' OF CRIMINALITY IN THE POPULATION.); AND FOURTH, CASES IN WHICH THE OFFENDERS ARE CONVICTED OF A CRIME THAT IS RECORDED BUT WITH RESPECT TO WHOM NOT ALL CRIMES COMMITTED HAVE BECOME KNOWN TO THE POLICE. (THE 'DARK FIGURE' OF CRIMINALITY IN THE CRIMINAL RECORD OF CONVICTED OFFENDERS.). THE INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF 'DARK FIGURES' IN CRIME AND CRIMINALITY IS ILLUSTRATED DIAGRAMMATICALLY BY SHOWING THE DATA ON CRIME AND CRIMINALS IN RELATION TO THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CRIMINAL LAW. EXAMPLES ARE TAKEN FROM CRIMINALITY IN ENGLAND AND WALES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)