How is crime operationalized?

Question

How is crime operationalized?

Answer 1

Operationalization is the process of defining the concept that you are studying.  Typically, when dealing with crime, you have several options.  The most common is to look at arrest data.  Problem with this is that not all crimes are reported or detected or charged, so you are getting a false number of crimes on the low side.  The next option is to determine how many are not reported.  This is normally measured through the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).  This is when they ask people if they have been the victim of a crime whether or not it was reported.  Problem with this one is that most people have no idea of what is a crime and what isn't so it is inaccurate as well.  Next option is to ask people whether or not they have committed any crimes whether they were charged or not.  Obviously, people are not always honest in answering this one, so it isn't accurate either.

Another part of this operational process is what time of crime are you worried about?  Is it all crime?  Does this include non-criminal violations or any violation of the law?  What about municipal and county ordinance violations?  Are you only looking for felonies or a specific crime category such as s*x crimes?  If you are looking at a specific crime category, what crimes will you include?  Is stalking a s*x crime?  What about public indecency?  

Complicated enough for you?  Yup, me too.

Answer 2

That is a hard question. Maybe you should have asked it a bit more concrete.

It is much like searching for gold of a river bed. Everything usually starts with deep observation and systematically description of everything that is or maybe in connection with the crime. Just than comes the sorting out of the data. The evidence is then connected with the events and all possible presuptions are taken notice of. Trying to create the chain. Every weak spot fails the final result.