So the Statistics Commission calls for 'an independent body' (just like
itself) to take over publication of crime statistics.
And the reason? The Home Office issued a press release that related
statistics to government policy a day early. This is "deeply embarrassing"
and so the Home Office should be stripped of its publication powers.
We would all like to know whether or crime is increasing and what are the
factors involved. But the Commission does not focus attention on
this, or any other substantive issue. Instead the Commission focuses on the
press reaction to statistics, and calls for new laws to prevent the
publication of key statistics alongside with statements of "the government
line".
Isn't the Commission making a plea that the Commission, or some body like
itself, should have the exclusive right to manipulate the figures?
Ray Thomas, Open University.
**********************************
-----Original Message-----
From: email list for Radical Statistics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Ted Harding
Sent: 30 December 2005 09:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Crime Statistics and the Home Office
Greetings, Folks!
Hoping you have had a good Christmas, and with best
wishes for the imminent New Year.
Interesting story at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,2763,1675217,00.html
which opens:
Restore trust in crime figures, urges watchdog
. Home Office criticised for breaching code
. Commission calls for independent body
Patrick Wintour, chief political correspondent
Friday December 30, 2005
The Guardian
The Home Office should be stripped of responsibility
for publishing crime statistics because public trust
in the figures has been eroded, partly by departmental
manipulation of their timing and context, the
government's official statistics watchdog has ruled.
The deeply embarrassing finding by the Statistics
Commission follows a long debate between the commission,
the Home Office and the government's official national
statistician. Trends in crime figures have always been
one of the great battlegrounds of British politics,
with media and political parties often drawing very
different conclusions as to whether crime is falling
or rising.
Best wishes to all,
Ted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <[log in to unmask]>
Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861
Date: 30-Dec-05 Time: 09:53:58
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