Description
Filled with real world examples derived from media reports on crime trends and other sources, this fully updated Second Edition analyzes the specific errors that can occur in the three most common methods used to report crime—official crime data, self report, and victimization studies. For each method, the authors examine strengths and weaknesses, the fundamental issues surrounding accuracy, and the method's application to theoretical and policy research. Throughout the book, the authors demonstrate the factors that underlie crime data and illustrate the fundamental links between theory, policy, and data measurement.
Table of Contents
Exhibits
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction: The Pervasiveness (and Limitations) of Measurement
2. The History of Measuring Crime
3. Official Crime Data
4. Self-Reporting Studies
5. Victimization Surveys
6. Crime Patterns, Evaluating Crime Policies, and Criminological Theories
References
Index
About the Authors
