There are three main sources of information available to researchers in alignment with crime victimization measures: official criminal statistics, self-report surveys, and victims’ survey. The National Crime Victimization Survey undertaken by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is the basic source on information as far as victimization is concerned. This survey comprises of data collected from samples that are representative of the general population nationwide. The BJS selects approximately 90,000 households that make up a total of approximately 160,000 individuals who provide victimization information in alignment with non-fatal criminal occurrences in their lives and information about any victimization that may have occurred during such incidences (BJS, 2015).
Official criminal statistics comprise of data that is collected and recorded by the police departments in alignment with reported crimes. The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) is utilized by the FBI to record crimes reported to them by victims nationwide. Any kind of crime is addressed under the UCR irrespective of the city in which it occurred. This source of crime information is highly used by students of criminal justice, sociologists, the media, legislators, and criminologists, among others, to gather information for planning and research purposes (BSJ, 2017).
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Self-report surveys entail the people’s self-reported incidences of engagement in criminal endeavors (Thornberry & Krohn, 2002). This method is widely applied in the U.S. and highly utilized by the researchers as it is closest to the behavior than any other method. While there has always been skepticism about individuals’ willingness to report personal delinquent conduct, studies have proved that self-reporting of criminal conduct actually happens in overwhelming ways.
Discussion
In my opinion, the most important source of information for researchers is the UCR as it provides information about various forms of crime as reported to the FBI from various cities of America. Taking into consideration that the FBI comprises of the most revered and trusted personnel in the criminal justice system, citizens are highly likely to report their concerns about crime occurrences to them more often than not.
The method which I feel is the most accurate for use in collecting crime data is the self-report survey as it involves the individuals who actually committed the crime. For an individual who is willing to offer information about his or her engagement in a specific crime(s), the researcher is assured of accurate data in alignment with the location and reasons for the criminal conduct as well as the demographic characteristics of the criminal. This is unlike in situations where the victim reports a crime as people affected by a criminal act are likely to exaggerate the occurrence and the associated outcomes (Thornberry & Krohn, 2002).
Significant challenges in alignment with crime reporting include a victim’s lack of proof that the incidence actually occurred. Secondly, the notion of victim blaming may arise in the course of the reporting process thus barring the victim from giving important details about the crime. Third, the victim may not get the necessary support needed to enable him or her proof the occurrence of the incidence. For instance, the security personnel may not offer their time to visit the scene of the crime even when the events demand so.
There are various ways through which these challenges may be overcome. First, the legal system should stipulate ways of dealing with law enforcement officials who engage in unethical conduct of victimizing those who offer to report incidences of crime as they occur. Secondly, the legal system should set aside some officials to visit the scene of the crimes reported, particularly in dire cases where the scene may provide critical proof of the occurrence of the crime. Third, the idea of victim blaming should be avoided in police departments and crime reporting offices to enable the victim to offer all the information.
References
Bureau of Justice Statistics (2015). Data collection: National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved from https://www.bjs.gov on 16/5/2017.
Bureau of Justice Statistics (2017). Uniform Crime Reporting statistics. U.S. Department of Justice: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved from https://www.bjs.gov on 16/5/2017.
Thornberry, T. P. & Krohn, M. D. (2002) In C. V. Petrie & J. V. Pepper (Eds.) Measurement problems in criminal justice research: Workshop summary. National Research Council: National Academies Press.
