This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Revamped crime and victimisation survey
14/06/2004
More members of the public than ever before are to be
asked their views on crime, 'hidden' crime and the criminal
justice system as part of the revamped Scottish Crime and
Victimisation Survey (SCVS), which will begin on
Tuesday.
Around 27,500 randomly selected adults - compared to
5,000 in the past - will be interviewed by telephone each
year as part of the new survey, which will aim to improve
information about reported crime as well as crimes that may
not be reported to the police, such minor acts of theft,
vandalism or violence.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said the revamped survey
and increased sample size would give the public a stronger
voice on crime and provide the Executive with a better
picture of the number of victims of crime in Scotland and
the crimes which they have experienced.
Information to be collected will include:
- Information on the levels and types of crime
experienced by individual victims and households in
Scotland over time
- Estimates of the number of victims in Scotland both
nationally and, for the first time, at police force
area level
- Information on people's attitudes to a range of
issues such as their concerns about crime and other
social problems, their perceived risk of crime and
their views on the justice system
- Estimates of the numbers of victims before and
after implementation of the new Scottish Crime
Recording Standard in April this year, measuring the
impact of this change on recorded crime figures
Ms Jamieson said:
"The Executive is committed to providing a stronger
voice to victims of crime and ensuring their needs are
placed at the heart of our criminal justice system. The
launch of the new Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey -
which replaces a survey dating back almost a quarter of a
century - is an important step forward in that process.
"For the first time, the survey will be conducted on a
rolling basis, with five times more people than before
being questioned about their experiences of personal and
household crime. This much larger sample size will lead to
more robust, reliable findings.
"It will also enable us to examine how crime has
affected victims' lives and the lives of those around them,
and the public's perceived fear of crime - compared to the
actual levels of risk.
"As we already know, not all crime is reported to or
recorded by the police. This new survey will help reveal
more of that 'hidden' crime and is a useful addition to the
police recorded crime statistics. Asking victims directly
about their experiences will also help inform the Executive
about those in our society who are most at risk of
crime.
"Crucially, the revamped survey will ensure that
victims' views remain at the forefront of policies on crime
reduction. And that resources are targeted towards making a
real difference to addressing crime and the fear of crime
in communities across the country."
The new survey will be carried out by BMRB Social
Research on behalf of the Executive.
The main aim of the survey is to measure trends in
household and personal crime as reported directly by
victims themselves. It also aims to collect a broader range
of information about people's experiences of crime,
including their fear of crime, and their views on crime,
policing and the justice system.