NCJ Number
79753
Journal
Research Bulletin Issue: 12 Dated: (1981) Pages: 12-19
Date Published
1981
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Based on recent criminological research into the nature and extent of crime in England and Wales, prospects for reducing crime in those countries are discussed.
Abstract
Based on victim surveys, in which samples of the population are asked about offenses against them they may not have reported to police, most criminologists agree that as little as 10 percent of all crime is represented in official statistics (crimes reported to or discovered by the police). This percentage will vary from offense to offense, since particular offenses are more or less likely than others to be reported to the police. Even considering the underreporting of crime in official statistics and the rise in crime rates since World War II, the risks of falling victim to serious criminal victimization are small; for example, the risks of a person being a victim of homicide in any 1 year (1 in 100,000) are a small fraction of the risks of being killed on the road or dying of cancer. There seems little prospect for reducing crime through modifications or extension of the criminal justice system, and there is little promise of a significant decrease in crime through most forms of crime prevention. There is some potential for reducing specific offenses through measures that will block opportunities for committing them. There are possibilities for reducing the fear of crime, which is outstripping a realistic assessment of the risks of being victimized. Further research is needed in this area. Eight notes are listed. (Author summary modified)