This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/12/police-officers-fiddling-crime-statistics-england-wales-figures

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Police officers despise fiddling crime statistics, says expert Police officers despise fiddling crime statistics, says expert
(35 minutes later)
A significant number of police officers and government officials "despise" their role in the widespread practice of massaging official crime figures, according to a leading criminologist.A significant number of police officers and government officials "despise" their role in the widespread practice of massaging official crime figures, according to a leading criminologist.
Marian FitzGerald, a visiting professor of criminology at the crime and justice centre at the University of Kent, said many ethically minded senior officers were "scandalised" and detested their part in what they consider to be the manipulation of police statistics. Marian FitzGerald, a visiting professor of criminology at the University of Kent's crime and justice centre, said many ethically minded senior officers were "scandalised" and detested their part in what they consider to be the manipulation of police statistics.
She said: "Many, many people within these organisations despise the way the game is being played and have no respect for the people who are cynically fiddling the figures in order to cover their backs and yet, for the sake of holding on to their jobs, they themselves end up passively or actively complicit in this.She said: "Many, many people within these organisations despise the way the game is being played and have no respect for the people who are cynically fiddling the figures in order to cover their backs and yet, for the sake of holding on to their jobs, they themselves end up passively or actively complicit in this.
"This has infected the heart of government itself. There are lots and lots and lots of good, ethical people who hate what is happening. I know ethical police officers who have talked about resisting political pressures, and it's difficult. They may be scandalised and even suffer personally at the hands of those who realise their career ambitions by cynically playing the numbers game.""This has infected the heart of government itself. There are lots and lots and lots of good, ethical people who hate what is happening. I know ethical police officers who have talked about resisting political pressures, and it's difficult. They may be scandalised and even suffer personally at the hands of those who realise their career ambitions by cynically playing the numbers game."
Her concerns are aired in an article to be published by a charity, the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, on Monday, 10 days before the release of the next crime statistics, which are expected to show falls in crime rates, continuing a trend that has allowed ministers and senior officers to claim repeatedly that Britain has never been safer.Her concerns are aired in an article to be published by a charity, the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, on Monday, 10 days before the release of the next crime statistics, which are expected to show falls in crime rates, continuing a trend that has allowed ministers and senior officers to claim repeatedly that Britain has never been safer.
Last week a damning report by MPs said senior police officers have allowed the misrecording of crime figures to become "ingrained" across England and Wales, with crimes as serious as rape not being properly reported. The public administration select committee has also accused ministers of "lamentable complacency" by allowing the issue to fester. Last week a damning report by MPs said senior police officers have allowed the misrecording of crime figures to become "ingrained" across England and Wales, with crimes as serious as rape not being properly reported. The public administration select committee has also accused ministers of "lamentable complacency" by allowing the issue to fester.
FitzGerald said the degree of under-reporting was glaring, pointing out the failure to record the extent of cybercrime. She said the omission of the scale of online offences from crime figures had been all the more pronounced since the home affairs select committee reported last July that cybercrime affected people's daily lives "on an industrial scale".FitzGerald said the degree of under-reporting was glaring, pointing out the failure to record the extent of cybercrime. She said the omission of the scale of online offences from crime figures had been all the more pronounced since the home affairs select committee reported last July that cybercrime affected people's daily lives "on an industrial scale".
It also highlighted the existence of a "black hole" that enables online criminals to get away with attacks without being detected.It also highlighted the existence of a "black hole" that enables online criminals to get away with attacks without being detected.
A report issued last Friday by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary revealed that only 2% of police staff across 37 forces had been trained in investigating cybercrime.A report issued last Friday by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary revealed that only 2% of police staff across 37 forces had been trained in investigating cybercrime.
FitzGerald added: "It is impossible to know what adjustment might be needed to the story of the fall in crime if the 'black hole' of cyber-enabled crime were to be filled in and topped up with a count of the individual victims of card fraud, as well as retailers, including small shopkeepers, who have lost out in this way."FitzGerald added: "It is impossible to know what adjustment might be needed to the story of the fall in crime if the 'black hole' of cyber-enabled crime were to be filled in and topped up with a count of the individual victims of card fraud, as well as retailers, including small shopkeepers, who have lost out in this way."
Her study strikes a pessimistic tone, claiming that the public will lose faith in official statistics to the point where they cease to have any credibility. "There is going to be a quest now for how we get accurate crime statistics, but it doesn't matter," she said. "The bottom line is that people don't believe these figures anyway. They believe their own experience, which is about quality of service. Her study strikes a pessimistic note, claiming that the public will lose faith in official statistics to the point where they cease to have any credibility. "There is going to be a quest now for how we get accurate crime statistics, but it doesn't matter," she said. "The bottom line is that people don't believe these figures anyway. They believe their own experience, which is about quality of service.
"You are finding victims who are trying to report things and finding the police saying it's not their business any more – they should report instead to some national agency they've never heard of, or else they're put through the mill to prove that the crime didn't happen in order to keep it off the books.""You are finding victims who are trying to report things and finding the police saying it's not their business any more – they should report instead to some national agency they've never heard of, or else they're put through the mill to prove that the crime didn't happen in order to keep it off the books."
Mounting disquiet over the integrity of crime figures resulted in the gold-standard "national statistics" status being withdrawn from police recorded crime figures in January, after repeated allegations of fiddling.Mounting disquiet over the integrity of crime figures resulted in the gold-standard "national statistics" status being withdrawn from police recorded crime figures in January, after repeated allegations of fiddling.
The chief inspector of constabulary, Tom Winsor, has warned that he expects to find "a degree of fiddling, some of it owing to dishonesty" among the 43 police forces in England and Wales when he reports on the issue this year.The chief inspector of constabulary, Tom Winsor, has warned that he expects to find "a degree of fiddling, some of it owing to dishonesty" among the 43 police forces in England and Wales when he reports on the issue this year.
However, Winsor has ruled out "institutional corruption" as a factor in driving the inaccurate recording of crime by the police.However, Winsor has ruled out "institutional corruption" as a factor in driving the inaccurate recording of crime by the police.
The crime prevention minister, Norman Baker, said: "It is vital that recorded crime statistics are as robust as they can possibly be – and the coalition government has a strong record on reinforcing their independence and accountability.The crime prevention minister, Norman Baker, said: "It is vital that recorded crime statistics are as robust as they can possibly be – and the coalition government has a strong record on reinforcing their independence and accountability.
"Police recorded crime has fallen by more than 10% since June 2010. The independent Crime Survey for England and Wales, which is based on a survey of 35,000 households rather than police figures, also shows that crime has fallen by more than 10% over the same period, and to the lowest level since the survey began in 1981. So the evidence is clear: police reform is working and crime is falling.""Police recorded crime has fallen by more than 10% since June 2010. The independent Crime Survey for England and Wales, which is based on a survey of 35,000 households rather than police figures, also shows that crime has fallen by more than 10% over the same period, and to the lowest level since the survey began in 1981. So the evidence is clear: police reform is working and crime is falling."