Measuring crime: Offender Surveys (Forensic Psychology)

OFFENDER SURVEYS

A01:

Offender surveys are a self-report measure that requires people to voluntarily record the number and type of crimes they have committed over a specified period of time.

For example, the Offending, Crime and Justice Survey – young people in England and Wales are interviewed to assess the extent of offending and drug use (of people aged 10-25).

Offender surveys tend to focus on groups that might be likely to commit offences – such as, people who have previously been convicted, or people from specific age ranges/social backgrounds.

A03:

However, as with all self-report measures, individuals may lie, exaggerate or provide answers they perceive to be ‘socially desirable.’ This means that such methods will have poor reliability - and due to the potential legal implications, it makes them even more liable to inaccuracy.

A03:

Despite this, it can give a good picture of the reasons behind their offending behaviour, which can lead to the development of resources to prevent further crime – eg. an alcohol dependence programme. This is a strength as it potentially means that recidivism rates can be reduced.