British Crime Survey, 2004-2005

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p><i>Background</i>:<br> The <i>Crime Survey for England and Wales</i> (CSEW), previously known as the <i>British Crime Survey</i> (BCS), has been in existence since 1981. The survey traditionally asks a sole randomly selected adult, in a random sample of households, details pertaining to any instances where they, or the household, has been a victim of a crime in the previous 12 months. These are recorded in the victim form data file (VF). A wide range of questions are then asked covering demographics and crime-related subjects such as attitudes to the police and the criminal justice system (CJS). Most of the questionnaire is completed in a face-to-face interview in the respondent's home; these variables are contained within the non-victim form (NVF) data file. Since 2009, the survey has been extended to children aged 10-15 years old; one resident of that age range has also been selected at random from the household and asked about incidents where they have been a victim of crime, and other related topics. The first set of children's data, covering January-December 2009, had experimental status, and is held separately under SN 6601. From 2009-2010, the children's data cover the same period as the adult data and are included with the main dataset. Further information may be found on the ONS <a href="http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/get-involved/taking-part-in-a-survey/information-for-households/a-to-z-of-household-and-individual-surveys/crime-survey-for-england---wales/index.html" title="Crime Survey for England and Wales">Crime Survey for England and Wales</a> webpage and for the previous BCS, from the GOV.UK <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-crime-survey-methodology" title="BCS Methodology">BCS Methodology</a> webpage.<br> <br> <i>Self-completion data</i><br> A series of questions on drinking behaviour, drug use, self-offending, gangs and personal security, and intimate personal violence (IPV) (including stalking and sexual victimisation) are administered to adults via a self-completion module which the respondent completes on a laptop computer. Children aged 10-15 years also complete a separate self-completion questionnaire. The questions are contained within the main questionnaire documents, but the data are not available with the main survey; they are available only under Special Licence/Secure Access conditions. See Access section for further details.<br> <br> <i>Geographic variables</i>:<br> From 2008-2009, low-level geographic variables are available under Special Licence conditions to match to the survey/ From 2011-2012 onwards, further lower-level geographic variables are also available, subject to Secure Access conditions.<br> <br> <i>History</i>:<br> Up to 2001, the survey was conducted biennially. From April 2001, interviewing was carried out continually and reported on in financial year cycles and the crime reference period was altered to accommodate this change. The core sample size has increased from around 11,000 in the earlier cycles to over 46,000 up until 2011/12 where it was then reduced to 35,000. Following the National Statistician's Review of Crime Statistics in June 2011 the collation and publication of Crime Statistics moved to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) from 1st April 2012, and the survey changed its name to the <i>Crime Survey for England and Wales</i> (CSEW) accordingly. <br> <br> <i>Scottish data</i>:<br> The 1982 and 1988 BCS waves were also conducted in Scotland. The England and Wales data for 1982 and 1988 are held at the UKDA under SNs 1869 and 2706, but the Scottish data for these studies are held separately under SNs 4368 and 4599. Since 1993, separate <i>Scottish Crime and Justice Surveys</i> have been conducted, and these are held under GN 33330.<br> <br>For the fifth edition (August 2007), previously unavailable interviewer assessment variables were deposited, which were merged with the main non-victim form data file. For the sixth edition (October 2007), the non-white boost sample data files were replaced with updated versions containing similar interviewer assessment variables.<B>Main Topics</B>:<br>The dataset includes information from two sections of the survey, the non-victim form questionnaire and the victim form questionnaire. <br> <br> The non-victim form questionnaire gathers respondent-level data: topics covered include fear of crime, perception of antisocial behaviour, victimisation screener questions, performance of the criminal justice system (CJS), experiences of the police, attitudes to the CJS, crime prevention and security, victims and the CJS, demographic information, and technology crime.<br> <br> The victim form contains offence-level data. Up to six different incidents are asked about for each respondent - each of these constitutes a separate victim form and can be matched back to the respondent-level data through the variable ROWLABEL. Topics covered include the nature and circumstances of the incident, details of offenders, security measures, costs, emotional reactions, contact with the CJS and outcomes where known.<br> <br> Self-completion modules were also fielded in the 2004-2005 survey, covering drug use; drinking behaviour; and domestic violence, sexual victimisation and stalking (held together as interpersonal violence, or IPV). These modules are subject to Special Licence access - see SNs 7324, 7325 and 7357