Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) asks a sole adult, in a random sample of households, about their, or their household's, experience of crime victimisation 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) these variables are contained within the non-victim form (NVF) data file. In 2009, the survey was extended to children aged 10-15 years old; one resident of that age range is also selected from the household and asked about their experience of crime, and other related topics. The first set of children's data covered January-December 2009 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 study.The CSEW was formerly known as the British Crime Survey (BCS), and has been in existence since 1981. The 1982 and 1988 BCS waves were also conducted in Scotland (data held separately under SNs 4368 and 4599). Since 1993, separate Scottish Crime and Justice Surveys have been conducted. Up to 2001, the BCS was conducted biennially. From April 2001, the Office for National Statistics took over the survey and it became the CSEW. Interviewing was then carried out continually and reported on in financial year cycles. The crime reference period was altered to accommodate this. Further information may be found on the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales web page and for the previous BCS, from the GOV.UK BCS Methodology web page. Secure Access dataIn addition to the main survey, a series of questions covering drinking behaviour, drug use, self-offending, gangs and personal security, and intimate personal violence (IPV) (including stalking and sexual victimisation) are asked of adults via a laptop-based self-completion module (questions may vary over the years). Children aged 10-15 years also complete a separate self-completion questionnaire. The questionnaires are included in the main documentation, but the data are only available under Secure Access conditions (see SN 7280), not with the main study. In addition, from 2011 onwards, lower-level geographic variables are also available under Secure Access conditions (see SN 7311).New methodology for capping the number of incidents from 2017-18The CSEW datasets available from 2017-18 onwards are based on a new methodology of capping the number of incidents at the 98th percentile. Incidence variables names have remained consistent with previously supplied data but due to the fact they are based on the new 98th percentile cap, and old datasets are not, comparability has been lost with years prior to 2012-2013. More information can be found in the 2017-18 User Guide (see SN 8464) and the article ‘Improving victimisation estimates derived from the Crime Survey for England and Wales’. 

Extending the BCS to Children Following the 'Smith Review', 'Crime statistics: an independent review', the BCS has included children aged 10-15 years, through screening at sampled addresses. The British Crime Survey Experimental Data: Children Aged 10-15 Years, January-December, 2009 comprises the first set of BCS children's data to become available. The primary aim of extending the BCS to children is to provide estimates of the levels of crime experienced by children and their risk of victimisation. In addition to questions about experience of crime, the BCS children's survey also gathers information on a number of crime-related topics such as perceptions and attitudes to the police, anti-social behaviour, crime prevention and personal security. It is therefore envisaged that the BCS children's survey will also provide a rich source of data to assist in understanding the nature and circumstances of crimes experienced by children aged 10 to 15 years. Estimates published based on these data have been published as 'Experimental Statistics'. In accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, 'Experimental Statistics' are new official statistics undergoing evaluation and published to involve users and stakeholders in their development as a means to build in quality at an early stage. As such, these data are subject to future revision and change. Comparing the children's data with the adult BCS The BCS children's experimental dataset has been developed as an extension to the existing adult BCS to children aged 10 to 15 years. However, methodological differences between the adult and child BCS mean that direct comparisons cannot be made between the adult and child data. That said, while the questions asked and levels of detail collected differ between the data sources there is a common approach to the classification of incidents to offences in law. For further details of the methodology, see documentation. Findings publication The findings from the first set of children's data have been published as: Millard, B. and Flatley, J. (ed.) (2010) Experimental statistics on victimisation of children aged 10 to 15: findings from the British Crime Survey for the year ending December 2009 England and Wales, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 11/01, London: Home Office. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/hosb1110.pdf

Main Topics:

The BCS children's data were collected using a shortened questionnaire based on the adult BCS questionnaire but restricted to incidents of personal victimisation in the 12 months prior to interview. Topics covered included: demographics, crime screener questions, perceptions of and attitudes to the police, anti-social behavious, crime prevention and security. A self-completion module covered internet use, personal security, school truancy, bullying, street gangs, drinking behaviour and cannabis use. Questions asked of adults about household crimes, such as burglary or vehicle-related crime, were not included in the child survey as this information was already captured from the adult interview. Users should also note that the self-completion module for the extension of the BCS to children collects sensitive data from those aged 10 to 15 and is not available to download.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Face-to-face interview

Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) was used.

Self-completion