Most crime goes unreported. The reasons remain unexamined.
No one wants to be another statistic, but that's how the police police. Chicago keeps a tally of where crimes are called in, and stations more cops there. Only 2 out of every 5 violent crimes are told to police. But any attempt to prevent crime has to start somewhere. Cops follow where the data leads.
We know most crime is hidden from police because the Census Bureau also keeps statistics. The National Crime Victimization Survey asks a sample of Americans about all the nasty things that might have happened to them in the last six months.
I know. Nasty things have happened to me, and I've been asked. A census field representative showed up at my door pre-Covid. Trump was griping about the census so much that I figured whatever business the census taker had must be good. So we had a thorough discussion about crime. Very thorough.
Has something I carry—luggage, a wallet, purse, briefcase, book—been stolen?
Clothing, jewelry, or cellphone?
Bicycle or sports equipment?
Things in the home like a TV, stereo, or tools?
Things outside my home such as a garden hose or lawn furniture?
Things belonging to children in the household?
Things from a vehicle, such as a package, groceries, camera or CD? Wait, what's a CD?
OK, did anyone attempt to steal anything?
If this doesn't sound like the usual census experience, it isn't. The chatty gent was working on the National Crime Victimization Survey which collects data on trends in violent crime, costs of crime, crime in schools and how law enforcement responds.
Most census visits don't go into this much detail. Still, this long-form interview soft-pedaled one particular fact. A census rep would come back every six months to ask the same questions once again. This is how we learn about crimes beyond the statistics. Someone just keeps asking and asking.
