Crime statistics
Crime statistics are official criminological statistics that capture criminal behavior quantitatively and regionally, for example, states, or to a state structure, are limited.
Crime statistics provide information on perpetrators, victims, cases, proceedings, damages, criminal penalties.
In a narrower sense, these are
- The Police Crime Statistics ( PKS)
- The prosecutor handling statistics
- The criminal justice statistics
- The prison statistics
Crime statistics in a broader sense, the statistical materials of probation and youth welfare, but also the Federal Central Register ( BCR ) at the Federal Attorney General. From the BZR it is possible with considerable effort to develop a relapse statistics. Previously published in 1989 and 1990 relapse statistics. For the data from 1994 in early 2004 appeared a fallback statistics.
Except for the PKS is exclusively Justice Statistics. Theoretically, due to the police investigation even possible to register a prejudicial Statistics ( "Display Statistics" ) to create, but can not be made public due to the data protection and efficiency of police investigative procedures.
A criminological interesting combination of all statistics on a so-called statistics course is due to the considerable wealth of data, the different data formats and not least because of the data protection currently technically and legally impossible.
Crime statistics published anonymously in order to bring an overview of the crime situation. The crime statistics can not be used for diagnosis or to predict, and the crime scene depicted shows only the police and justice known acts on (so-called bright field ).
History
Getting justice statistical evaluations were made under Louis XIV of France. A systematic evaluation is demonstrated from the beginning of the 19th century. A scientific analysis of these statistics were first attracted by Adolphe Quetelet 1836. Also in the UK, Austria and Denmark crime statistics were published in the early 19th century. In Germany the first time in 1803 or 1809 statistical surveys have been made to judicial administrative purposes in Bavaria and Baden. From 1830 on personal characteristics of offenders were raised in both Prussia and Bavaria. Since 1882 there was in Germany a uniform crime statistics, which affected those judged people and those judged criminal acts. From 1917, however, the people were only counted. In the times of the Nazi regime was intended to introduce a unified crime statistics. However, the project could not be implemented due to the outbreak of war. Since 1950 there was the first law enforcement statistics for the former federal territory. In 1953, the nationwide police crime statistics has been established. 1961 was added at the prison statistics and 1963 statistics on probation and supervision of conduct. From 1976 to a prosecutor handling Statistics conducted.
Interpretation
For the interpretation of crime statistics ( tests over a certain period of time ), it is necessary for so-called longitudinal studies to consider the demographic change. Therefore, the respective absolute values are multiplied by 100,000 and divided by the population of the location or age group- related quantity. This procedure is standardized throughout the world and results in the so-called frequency number. Incidence figures are not reported in the rule by the crime statistics.
Based on the available statistical material, it is possible to aggregate level, represent a reduction of police alleged offense. Comparing the police registered criminal responsibility suspects with those judged and condemned (and eventually also with the prisoners ), this results in a significant decrease. These comparability among the crime statistics is controversial. Just because the police crime statistics is structured differently, comparability is denied. Finally, the collection period is different than the other statistics. The detected points are also different.
Biggest weakness of the statistics is their purely quantitative orientation ( so far only the specified by tracking statistics punitive ) gives little indication of the seriousness of the act. His contribution (sole perpetrator, abetting, aiding, abetting ) is just barely covered.