Self-reported offending, victimization, and the British Crime Survey

Both the 1982 and 1984 British Crime Surveys contained questions on self-reported offending. In 1984 the questions were changed in order to try and improve admission rates. This article looks at the effect of this change. Admission rates in 1984 are shown to be approximately double those in 1982. Also examined are differences between offenders and non-offenders, what offenses 1984 respondents saw other people as engaging in most often, and who saw other people as least law abiding. The relationship between self-reported offending and victimization in both this and Gottfredson's (1984) analysis of BCS data is taken up.