1. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 Progress with data archiving Last meeting we described our review of current practice Focus on 3 key areas for improvement: Quality of survey metadata Timeliness and range of data deposited Providing access to low level geo-coded data What progress has been made?

2. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 Progress since last meeting (1) Produced a concise and integrated user guide including: Syntax used to create derived variables Better descriptions of which weights to use Improved timeliness/range of data that we deposit 2006/07 data deposited around 3 months of annual bulletin (basic end user licence version) includes key derived variables created in HO analysis revised 2001/02 dataset with weights Also now available 2006/07 & 2005/06 drugs self-completion module 2006-07 young adult data files

3. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 Progress since last meeting (2) From 2006/07 onwards, are making available a dataset with Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) codes attached Only available via a new Home Office Privileged Access Licence (HO PAL) Means of providing more detailed data but under stricter access conditions Users provide written undertaking, e.g. To use data only for the specified research purposes Not to make any attempt to identify any individual To comply with stringent standards for storing the data Not to further distribute the data To comply with statistical disclosure controls in outputs

4. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 When will HO PAL go live? –Dataset prepared and ready to go to the UK DA –Licence conditions to be reviewed by HO legal branch –Data should be available early in the New Year – Not currently planning to back date unless strong case made for us to do so

5. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 Possible further improvements Welcome users views on priorities: Strategy to provide more predictable timetable for data deposit Continue labelling of historical datasets Run training days on how to analyse datasets Expand further range of derived variables that we deposit Any other suggestions?

6. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 Planning the 2008/09 survey –Some changes to content of the core survey introduced in recent years –New modules/questions on: –Mobile phone theft covering all household members –Plastic card fraud and ID theft (revised October 2007) –Confidence in the CJS (revised October 2007) –Sexual identity added to self-completion module (April 2007)

7. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 Planning 2008/09 core survey –From 1 April 2008, all interviews starting on 1 April will use the same questionnaire (until it changes) –Continue with a minimum sample of 1,000 per Police Force Area –Generally anticipate few changes to core modules –Possible changes to the Main questionnaire module: –Replace worry about crime questions with new questions on perceptions of levels of local and national crime/crime types –Replace some of the ASB questions with new questions on nature of experience and personal impact –Welcome suggestions on new topics/changes

8. THE BRITISH CRIME SURVEY: PRESENTATION TO THE BCS USER GROUP 11 December 2007 Under 16s –Extensive programme of work to develop and test new questions –Intending to undertake a field trial to test impact on main survey –Anticipating a 20 minute interview – CAPI, CASI or mixed –Primary focus will be on personal victimisation –But some scope to cover other topics (e.g. attitudes to the police, carrying knives, personal security) –Welcome views on what we should cover?

9. Questions ? Comments?