Annex 6 Comparing SCJS and BCS Crime Estimates
The coding of crimes differs between the SCJS and the British Crime Survey ( BCS) which reflects the different criminal justice systems in which they operate. These differences should be borne in mind when comparisons are made between SCJS and BCS estimates in this report. One general difference is that the SCJS includes crimes where the offender is mentally ill or a police officer (these crimes are excluded in the BCS estimates).
The SCJS also differs from the BCS in that it prioritises assault over other crimes when coding offences. For example, if an incident includes both vandalism and assault, the assault component will be assumed to be more serious unless it is clear that the damage to property was the most serious aspect of the incident. This is not the case with the BCS where vandalism has priority over assault. In addition, the intent of the offender to cause harm is not taken into consideration in the SCJS and the offence code given relies only on the injuries that the victim received. The intention of the offender is taken into consideration when assigning offence codes for assaults in the BCS.
The definition of burglary in England and Wales as measured by the BCS and the definition of housebreaking in Scotland as measured by the SCJS differ in two ways:
1. The mode of entry;
In Scotland, housebreaking occurs when the offender has physically broken into the home by forced entry or come in the home through a non-standard entry point such as a window. Even if the offender pushed past someone to gain entry to the home, this would not be coded as housebreaking in Scotland. [85]
Burglary measured by the BCS in England and Wales does not necessarily involve forced entry; a burglar can walk in through an open door, or gain access by deception.
2. The intention of the offender;
Burglary from a dwelling in England and Wales as measured by the BCS includes any unauthorised entry into the respondent's dwelling, no matter what incident occurs once the offender is inside. If the offender does not have the right to enter a home, but does so, this will be burglary.
In Scotland, the SCJS records the incident as housebreaking only if there is evidence of either theft from inside the home or an intention to steal in the case of attempted break-ins.