The Crime Survey For England and Wales (CSEW) An anonymous and confidential domestic investigation which reveals unreported crime and proves that anyone can become a victim. Participants are randomly chosen by postcode, providing a mixed sample from alternative areas and backgrounds. Conducted within a person's home by an impartial interviewer, it provides a more comfortable and familiar environment which allows victims to open up and provide clarity and detail about crimes they might not otherwise have reported, such as sexual offenses (ONS,2013 ). Universal query methodology means that everyone experiences the same questions, so the results should be accurate. However, there are various problems with the survey, for example: • Responses may be inaccurate due to lack of knowledge as only one chosen person answers all questions for crimes suffered by other family members (ONS, 2013). • False information given by people, perhaps because they believe it is what the interviewer wants to hear, the Hawthorne effect, invalidates it (Taylor, 1995). • The sample size and exclusion of individuals, such as children under 16 or those residing in groups, creates bias and a false reflection on the population as the crimes they suffer are not taken into account (HO, 2013). • Irregularity in the frequency of the survey makes it difficult to identify patterns or trends in crime (ONS, 2013).• The exclusion of crimes such as fraud and murder means that the results are not properly demonstrated (ONS, 2013).The official statisticsbeing in operation since 1857, they have established substantial patterns and trends in actual crimes reported to the Traffic Police. It is used to improve crime prevention methods, analyze crime and show the police the ef...... middle of paper ......ns/guide-method/method-quality/speficif/crime- staticics-methodology/user- guide-to-crime [Accessed: 4 November 2013]Rape Crisis (2013) Huge increase in demand for rape crisis services [Online]. Available at: http://www.rapecrisis.org.uk/news_show.php?id=98 Last accessed: 11 November 2013] Skellinton, R. (2009) The whiter the collar, the higher your status , the greater the crime to pay [online]. Available at: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/society/the-law/criminology/the-whiter-the-collar-and-the-higher-your-status-the-more-the-crime-will -pay[Accessed 10 November 2013]Taylor, P. et al. (1995) Sociology at the centre. Ormskirk, Causeway Press LtdTopping, A. (2013) Domestic violence data is worrying, says charity [Online]. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/07/domestic-violence-figures-citizens-advice [Accessed: 10 November 2013]