How victimisation survey can aid in addressing the shortcomings of crime data collection?

The crime reporting in India miss out on several key areas such as profile of victims, their personal characteristics, victim-offender relationship, FIR registration experiences, experiences of interacting with police, number of days and time taken in getting FIR registered, instances of intimidation, pressure experienced from the accused or associates including police, nature of injury, medical assistance, information about legal aid, compensation.

How Victimisation study can fill the gaps?

• The Victimisation Survey (or Victim Study Survey) involves asking 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.
• The Victimisation Survey reveals details that are missed out by the local police and describe how crime has impacted the lives of victims and convey their safety concerns.
• The survey gathers information through personal or telephonic interviews with a set of people representing the geographical and social correlates of a city or state over a period of time.
• The information collected may detail the victimisation suffered by a person but not recorded by the police for a variety of reasons. The survey also outlines the risk and vulnerability, perceptions about the local police and the views of people about the criminal justice system.

The government is expected to soon embark India’s first victimisation survey. It must go beyond data collection and must involve a nuanced understanding of the facets of crime and victimisation and presupposes specialist knowledge.