Correction:
The % of non-white population committing a violent offense in 1995 (etc)
should perhaps be around 5%, not 7%. (Again with all the caveats, see
below)
Thanks for comments, and I was agreeably surprised to receive some very
long private communications; so surprised that I would like to think for a
while about the questions and suggestions posed therein, and in any case
it is advisable to continue these topics off-list.
Meanwhile I agree (i) that a much higher % of non-whites have violent
offenses committed on them, & applaud the posture of the UK Govt re this.
(ii) Methodology of victim-assessment (e.g. of the race of the
perpetrator, if no other witnesses) - OK, I did spent about 10 mins
reading the various lengthy documents on this (and then gave up), and I
would accept that there is substantial over-reporting or mistaken-
reporting. Here's my facetious solution: Have a cadre of volunteers commit
not-too-violent offenses - presumably taking wallets, handbags - politely-
on a random sample of a local community (but excluding aged, young,
handicapped, and - erm - those too likely to offer resistance) over a
short period. Allow reasonable time for reporting, and the usual
processing of statistics by the above bodies. Then advertise in local
media to the effect "you were on Candid camera ..", pay modest
compensation. See what the bias is.
This should be safe since in the UK guns etc are banned, the attackers can
be equipped with goggles in case of sprays, and we can have a covert back-
up nearby to intervene in case things get nasty.
(iii) Problem with 'hybrids' - I'm afraid we would have to grasp this
nettle (on my theory of statistician's responsibility to develop info.
that bears on public policy) and deal with the question of how people look
(sound?) racially, to the general public. Sorry about that.
Again, thanks for interesting discussion.
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