International Crime Victims Survey
Encyclopedia
Why victims surveys
Reliable Crime statistics
are hard to come by. Crimes recorded by the police and other authorities are a main source of information but have their limitations, these limitations are discussed in the Crime statistics
article. An alternative is a victimisation survey (or victim study
) in which a random sample of the population is asked about their experiences with crime and victimisation
. Many countries have such surveys. They give a much better account for the volume crimes but are less accurate for crimes that occur with a (relative) low frequency such as homicide, or victimless 'crimes' such as drug (ab)use.
International comparison
Attempts to use the data from these national surveys for international comparison have failed. Differences in definitions of crime and other methodological differences are too big for proper comparison.
A group of European criminologists (Jan van Dijk, Dutch Ministry of Justice - Pat Mayhew, British Home Office - Martin Killias, Lausanne University) started an international victimisation study with the sole purpose to generate international comparative crime and victimisation data. The project is now known as the International Crime Victims Survey (ICVS). After the first round in 1989, the surveys were repeated in 1992, 1996, and 2000 and 2004/2005. The United Nations (UNICRI) got involved in the project in 1992 to organise the surveys in the developing countries and in Eastern Europe.
To date
More than 70 countries have participated at least once over the years. Not only provides this study comparative data, but thanks to the longitudinal aspect also provides data on trends in crime for a number of participating countries.
Organisation
The Dutch Ministry of Justice and the British Home Office have been the driving forces behind the project over the years. A European study based on the instrument and methodology of the ICVS is the European Survey on Crime and Safety (the EU ICS). This survey was done in 2005 in 18 EU member states and financed in part by the European Union. The EU ICS was executed by a consortium led by Gallup Europe. UNICRI was involved for organising the surveys in the rest of the world in 2004/05. The latest report with key findings was written by INTERVICT, the knowledge centre for victimology of Tilburg University and the Dutch Ministry of Justice in collaboration with key researchers from the participating countries. The data from the ICVS and the data from the EU ICS are available for academics for further analysis.
Near future
The 6th round of surveys is scheduled for spring 2009. The organisation of the ICVS-6 is with a group of government based research institutes that have a provisional secretariat at the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the British Home Office. The United Nations will concentrate on victimisation surveys in developing countries.
Other topics covered in the ICVS and EU ICS
ICVS-4 (2000)
ICVS-3 (1996)
ICVS-2 (1992)
ICVS-1 (1989)
Reliable Crime statistics
Crime statistics
Crime statistics attempt to provide statistical measures of the crime in societies. Given that crime is usually secretive by nature, measurements of it are likely to be inaccurate....
are hard to come by. Crimes recorded by the police and other authorities are a main source of information but have their limitations, these limitations are discussed in the Crime statistics
Crime statistics
Crime statistics attempt to provide statistical measures of the crime in societies. Given that crime is usually secretive by nature, measurements of it are likely to be inaccurate....
article. An alternative is a victimisation survey (or victim study
Victim study
A victim study is a survey, such as the British Crime Survey, that asks a sample of people which crimes have been committed against them over a fixed period of time and whether or not they have been reported to the police...
) in which a random sample of the population is asked about their experiences with crime and victimisation
Victimisation
Victimisation is the process of being victimised or becoming a victim. Research that studies the process, rates, incidence, and prevalence of victimization falls under the body of victimology.-Peer victimisation:...
. Many countries have such surveys. They give a much better account for the volume crimes but are less accurate for crimes that occur with a (relative) low frequency such as homicide, or victimless 'crimes' such as drug (ab)use.
International comparison
Attempts to use the data from these national surveys for international comparison have failed. Differences in definitions of crime and other methodological differences are too big for proper comparison.
A group of European criminologists (Jan van Dijk, Dutch Ministry of Justice - Pat Mayhew, British Home Office - Martin Killias, Lausanne University) started an international victimisation study with the sole purpose to generate international comparative crime and victimisation data. The project is now known as the International Crime Victims Survey (ICVS). After the first round in 1989, the surveys were repeated in 1992, 1996, and 2000 and 2004/2005. The United Nations (UNICRI) got involved in the project in 1992 to organise the surveys in the developing countries and in Eastern Europe.
To date
More than 70 countries have participated at least once over the years. Not only provides this study comparative data, but thanks to the longitudinal aspect also provides data on trends in crime for a number of participating countries.
Organisation
The Dutch Ministry of Justice and the British Home Office have been the driving forces behind the project over the years. A European study based on the instrument and methodology of the ICVS is the European Survey on Crime and Safety (the EU ICS). This survey was done in 2005 in 18 EU member states and financed in part by the European Union. The EU ICS was executed by a consortium led by Gallup Europe. UNICRI was involved for organising the surveys in the rest of the world in 2004/05. The latest report with key findings was written by INTERVICT, the knowledge centre for victimology of Tilburg University and the Dutch Ministry of Justice in collaboration with key researchers from the participating countries. The data from the ICVS and the data from the EU ICS are available for academics for further analysis.
Near future
The 6th round of surveys is scheduled for spring 2009. The organisation of the ICVS-6 is with a group of government based research institutes that have a provisional secretariat at the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the British Home Office. The United Nations will concentrate on victimisation surveys in developing countries.
Content of the questionnaire
- The offences
- Theft of a car
- Theft from a car
- (car vandalism)
- Theft of a motorcycle/moped
- Bicycle theft
- Burglary
- Attempted burglary
- Robbery
- Theft of personal property
- Sexual offences (against women)or men why always against women?
- Assault & threat
- Additional offences
- Consumer fraud
- Street level corruption
- Hate crime (EU ICS)
- Drugs related problems (EU ICS)
Other topics covered in the ICVS and EU ICS
- Crime specific topics
- Where, when and how often did it happen
- Reporting to the police - satisfaction with report to the police
- Victim support and need for victim support (burglary and violent crimes)
- Identity of the offender (violent crimes)
- Whether weapon present, type of weapon and whether actually used (violent crimes)
- Seriousness of crimes
- Attitudes to crime
- Policing
- Demographic and household information
The European Survey on Crime and Safety (EU ICS)
This EU funded project builds on the ICVS methodology and the results are fully compatible with the ICVS. The EU ICS results have been published separately http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/intervict/burdenofcrimefinal.pdf and in combination with the ICVS in other countries http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/ICVS2004_05.pdfKey results from the 2004/05 ICVS and EU ICS
- Overall victimisation for 10 crimes in countries and main cities
- Trends in overall victimisation by 10 crimes for the top 15 countries
- Trends in overall victimisation by 10 crimes for the bottom 15 countries
- Trends in property crimes for 15 countries
- Trends in theft of personal property and violent crimes for 15 countries
- Summary of the results downloadable from the Social Science Research Network (SSRN)
- Full report
Key publications and further reading
ICVS-5 (2004/05)- Van Dijk, J.J.M., van Kesteren, J.N. & Smit, P. (2008). Criminal Victimisation in International Perspective, Key findings from the 2004-2005 ICVS and EU ICS. The Hague, Boom Legal Publishers. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/ICVS2004_05.pdf
- Van Dijk, J.J.M., van Kesteren, J.N. & Smit, P. (2008). Victimización en la perspectiva internacional Resultados principales de la ENICRIV y ENECRIS 2004-2005. The Hague, Boom Legal Publishers. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/ICVS2004_05sp.pdf
- Van Kesteren, J.N. (2007). Integrated Database from the International Crime Victims Survey (ICVS) 1989-2005, codebook and data. Tilburg, INTERVICT http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/codebookICVS2005_2.pdf
- Van Dijk, J.J.M., Manchin, R., van Kesteren, J.N. & Hideg, G. (2007). The Burden of Crime in the EU, A Comparative Analysis of the European Survey of Crime and Safety (EU ICS) 2005. Brussels, Gallup Europe http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/intervict/burdenofcrimefinal.pdf
ICVS-4 (2000)
- Van Kesteren, J.N., Mayhew, P. & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2000). Criminal Victimisation in Seventeen Industrialised Countries: Key-findings from the 2000 International Crime Victims Survey. The Hague, Ministry of Justice, WODC. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/Industr2000a.pdf
- Naudé C.M.B, Prinsloo J.H., Ladikos A. (2006). Experiences of Crime in Thirteen African Countries: Results from the International Crime Victim Survey. Electronic Publication. Turin, UNICRI-UNODC. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/ICVS%2013%20African%20countries.pdf
- Nieuwbeerta. P., (ed.)(2002). Crime Victimization in Comparative Perspective. Results from the International Crime Victims Survey, 1989-2000. The Hague, Boom Legal Publishers
- Kury, H. (ed.)(2002). International Comparison of Crime and Victimization: The ICVS. Willowdale, De Sitter Publications.
- Alvazzi del Frate, Anna, Van Kesteren, J.N., (2004). Criminal Victimisation in Urban Europe. Key findings of the 2000 International Crime Victims Survey. Turin, UNICRI. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/CriminalVictimisationUrbanEurope.pdf
ICVS-3 (1996)
- Mayhew, P., Van Dijk, J.J.M. (1997). Criminal Victimisation in eleven Industrialised Countries. Key findings from the 1996 International Crime Victims Survey. The Hague: Ministry of Justice, WODC summary
- Alvazzi del Frate, Anna (1998). Victims of Crime in the Developing countries. UNICRI Publication no 57, Rome. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/c01_57.PDF
- Zvekic, Ugljesa (1998). Criminal victimisation in countries in transition. UNICRI Publication no 61, Rome. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/c01_61.PDF
- Alvazzi del Frate, A., Hatalak, O. & Zvekic, U. (editors)(2000). Surveying Crime: A Global Perspective. Proceedings of the international conference. Rome, 19-21 November 1998. Rome, National Institute of Statistics. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/surveying.pdf
ICVS-2 (1992)
- Van Dijk, J.J.M., & Mayhew, P. (1992). Criminal victimization in the Industrialized World: Key findings of the 1989 and 1992 International Crime Surveys. The Hague: Ministry of Justice, Department of Crime Prevention. http://rechten.uvt.nl/icvs/pdffiles/key_report_1992.pdf
- Alvazzi del Frate, Anna, Zvekic, Ugljesa, Dijk, Jan J.M. van (editors)(1993) Understanding Crime, Experiences of Crime and Crime Control, Acts of the International Conference. Rome, 18-20 November 1992. UN publication No.49. http://www.unicri.it/wwk/publications/books/series/n49.php
- Zvekic, U. & Alvazzi del Frate, A. (1995). Criminal victimisation in the Developing World. United Nations Publication no 55, Rome, UNICRI.
ICVS-1 (1989)
- Van Dijk, J.J.M., Mayhew, P. & Killias, M. (1990). Experiences of crime across the world: Key findings from the 1989 International Crime Survey. Deventer: Kluwer Law and Taxation.
See also
- Crime scienceCrime scienceCrime science is the study of crime in order to find ways to prevent it. Three features distinguish crime science from criminology: it is single-minded about cutting crime, rather than studying it for its own sake; accordingly it focuses on crime rather than criminals; and it is multidisciplinary,...
- CriminologyCriminologyCriminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
- Dark figure of crimeDark figure of crimeThe dark figure of crime is a term employed by criminologists and sociologists to describe the amount of unreported or undiscovered crime, which calls into question the reliability of official crime statistics....
- DemographyDemographyDemography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...
- QuestionnaireQuestionnaireA questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case...
- Self report studySelf report studyA self-report study is a type of survey, questionnaire, or poll in which respondents read the question and select a response by themselves without researcher interference....
- Victim studyVictim studyA victim study is a survey, such as the British Crime Survey, that asks a sample of people which crimes have been committed against them over a fixed period of time and whether or not they have been reported to the police...
- Crime statisticsCrime statisticsCrime statistics attempt to provide statistical measures of the crime in societies. Given that crime is usually secretive by nature, measurements of it are likely to be inaccurate....
- List of countries by murder rate
- United States cities by crime rateUnited States cities by crime rateThe following table of United States cities by crime rate is based on Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports statistics. The population numbers are based on U.S. Census estimates for the year end. The number of murders includes nonnegligent manslaughter. This list is based on the...
- International Crime Victims Survey