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’. 

The aims of the second British Crime Survey were identical to those of the first survey (1982), which were to estimate the incidence of victimisation of selected types of crime among the adult population over a given period, to describe the circumstances under which people became victims of crime and assess the consequences for them of becoming victims. However, the second survey was restricted to England and Wales, whereas the first survey had included Scotland. For the third edition of the 1984 dataset (May 2000) some changes were made to the data and documentation, including the addition of a Training Guide. Please see READ file for further details of changes to the data.

Main Topics:

Respondents were asked a series of screening questions to establish whether or not they had been the victims of crime during the reference period, and a series of very detailed questions about the incidents they reported. Other topics covered in the questionnaire included general opinion of the local area; fear of crime and precautions taken; likelihood of crime occurring; extent of 'incivilities' in the area; seriousness of various crimes; attitudes towards punishment and prison reform; victim support schemes; Neighbourhood Watch schemes; self-reported offending. Basic demographic information was also collected about respondents and their households.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Face-to-face interview

Self-completion