UK Data Service

Catalogue

UK Data Service data catalogue record for:

Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, 2005

Title details

SN: 5601
Title: Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, 2005
Alternative title: OCJS; Crime and Justice Survey
Persistent identifier: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-5601-1
Series: Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, 2003-2006
Depositor(s): Home Office. Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. Offending Surveys and Research
Principal investigator(s): Home Office. Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. Offending Surveys and Research
National Centre for Social Research
BMRB. Social Research
Sponsor(s): Home Office

Subject Categories

Youth - Social stratification and groupings
Offending, Crime and Justice Survey - Major studies
Crime and law enforcement - Law, crime and legal systems
Social attitudes and behaviour - Society and culture

Abstract

The Offending, Crime and Justice Survey (OCJS) (also sometimes known as the Crime and Justice Survey), was the first national longitudinal, self-report offending survey for England and Wales. The series began in 2003, the initial survey representing the first wave in a planned four-year rotating panel study, and ended with the 2006 wave. A longitudinal dataset based on the four years of the study was released in 2009 (held at the Archive under SN 6345).

The OCJS was commissioned by the Home Office, with the overall objective of providing a solid base for measuring the prevalence of offending and drug use in the general population of England and Wales. The survey was developed in response to a significant gap in data on offending in the general population, as opposed to particular groups such as convicted offenders. A specific aim of the series was to monitor trends in offending among young people.

The OCJS series was designed as a 'rotating panel' which means that in each subsequent year, part of the previous year's sample was re-interviewed, and was augmented by a further 'fresh' sample to ensure a cross-sectional representative sample of young people. The aim of this design was to fulfil two objectives: firstly, to provide a solid cross-sectional base from which to monitor year-on-year measures of offending, drug use, and contact with the CJS over the four-year tracking period (2003-2006); and secondly, to provide longitudinal insight into individual behaviour and attitudinal changes over time, and to enable the Home Office to identify temporal links between and within the key survey measures.

The OCJS was managed by a team of researchers in the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. The Home Office commissioned BMRB Social Research and the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to conduct the surveys jointly. Both organisations were involved in developing the surveys and, at each wave, the fieldwork was split between the two agencies.
OCJS 2005:
In 2005 the 'panel' sample included all respondents who had been previously interviewed and had agreed to be re-contacted. In addition to this, panel respondents from 2003, who were not interviewed in 2004 (due to being 'non contacts' or 'soft refusals') were also included. The intention in 2005 (as in 2004) was to achieve an overall sample (panel and 'fresh') of 5,000 young people. To achieve this, 423 'fresh' respondents were needed, but in fact 817 interviews were achieved, bringing the total sample up to 5,238.

The OCJS 2005 aimed to provide, as in previous years:
  • measures of self-reported offending
  • indicators of repeat offending
  • trends in the prevalence of offending
  • trends in the prevalence and frequency of drug and alcohol use
  • evidence on the links between offending and drug/alcohol use
  • evidence on the risk factors related to offending and drug use
  • information on the nature of offences committed, such as the role of co-offenders and the relationship between perpetrators and victims
In order to ensure comparability between survey years, much of the 2005 questionnaire remained the same as that for 2004. However, some questions were dropped to make room for new questions relating to new areas of policy interest. In addition, a small number of existing questions were reworded where this represented a necessary improvement on the original version. See documentation for further details.

For the third edition (December 2008), the variable PFA (police force area) has been supplied for the main file. This variable was previously unavailable.
Main Topics:
The basic OCJS questionnaire comprises modules on the following topics:
  • household grid (conducted using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI))
  • socio-demographic characteristics (CAPI)
  • neighbourhood (CAPI)
  • attitudes to the criminal justice system (CAPI)
  • contact with criminal justice system (part 1) (CAPI)
  • victimisation (CAPI)
  • antisocial behaviour (conducted using Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI))
  • white collar/'hi-tech' crime (ACASI)
  • offending - count/follow-up (ACASI)
  • offending - nature (conducted using Computer Assisted Self-Interviewing (CASI))
  • contact with criminal justice system (part 2) (CASI)
  • domestic violence (CASI)
  • drinking (CASI)
  • drug use (CASI)
  • health, lifestyle and risk factors (CASI)
  • reactions to the survey and recontact (CASI)
In addition to questionnaire data, the dataset also includes derived socio-economic and geo-demographic variables.

The data files included in the OCJS 2005 are as follows:
  • 'main 10-25': main individual respondent-level dataset
  • 'nature of offending 10-25': contains data on the circumstances surrounding individual offences (cases represent offences, not respondents)

Coverage, universe, methodology

Dates of fieldwork: 26 January 2005, 11 October 2005
Country: England and Wales
Spatial units: Government Office Regions
Police Force Areas
Standard Statistical Regions
Observation units: Individuals
Kind of data: Numeric
Universe: National
Persons aged 10-25 years, resident in private households in England and Wales.
Time dimensions: Longitudinal/panel/cohort
Some new respondents are added at each wave.
Sampling procedures: Multi-stage stratified random sample
Number of units: Overall sample: 4,980. Panel sample: 4,164. New sample (respondents added at 2005 wave): 816.
Method of data collection: Face-to-face interview; Self-completion
CAPI, ACASI and CASI used
Weighting: Weighting used. See documentation for details

Keywords

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTAGEALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
ALCOHOLISMAMPHETAMINESANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
ANXIETYARRESTASPIRATION
ASSAULTBICYCLESBULLYING
BURGLARYCANNABISCAREER
CHILDRENCINEMA ATTENDANCECLOTHING
COCAINECOHABITATIONCOMMUNITY LIFE
COMMUNITY SERVICE (PUNISHMENT)CONSUMER GOODSCOURT CASES
CREDIT CARD USECRIMECRIME VICTIMS
CRIMINAL COURTSCRIMINAL DAMAGECRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
CRIMINALSCULTURAL GOODSDOMESTIC VIOLENCE
DRINKING BEHAVIOURDRUG ABUSEDRUG ADDICTION
DRUG TRAFFICKINGECONOMIC ACTIVITYECSTASY (DRUG)
EDUCATIONAL CERTIFICATESEMOTIONAL STATESEMPLOYEES
EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT HISTORYENGLAND AND WALES
ENGLISH (LANGUAGE)ETHNIC GROUPSFAMILIES
FAMILY LIFEFATHERSFRAUD
FREQUENCYFRIENDSFULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT
GENDERGROUPSHALLUCINOGENIC DRUGS
HEALTHHEALTH ADVICEHIGHER EDUCATION
HOMELESSNESSHOUSEHOLD INCOMEHOUSEHOLDERS
HOUSEHOLDSHOUSING CONDITIONSHOUSING TENURE
INCOMEINJURIESINTERNET USE
INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTINTIMIDATIONJUDGMENTS (LEGAL)
JURIESJUVENILE DELINQUENCYLAW ENFORCEMENT
LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIESLITERACYMANAGEMENT
MARITAL STATUSMEDICINAL DRUGSMENTAL DISORDERS
METHADONEMONEYMORAL VALUES
MOTHERSMOTIVATIONNEIGHBOURHOODS
NEIGHBOURSNOISE POLLUTIONOCCUPATIONS
OFFENCESOPIATE DRUGSPARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP
PARENTSPART-TIME EMPLOYMENTPERSONAL FASHION GOODS
PERSONALITYPOLICE ACTIVITIESPOLICE SERVICES
PRISON SENTENCESPROBATIONPUBLIC HOUSES
PUBLIC TRANSPORTPUNISHMENT OBJECTIVESQUALIFICATIONS
RECIDIVISMREFUSEREHABILITATION (SOCIAL OFFENDERS)
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONRELIGIOUS BELIEFSRESIDENTIAL MOBILITY
ROBBERYSAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURESSCHOOL DISCIPLINE
SELF-EMPLOYEDSELF-ESTEEMSHOPLIFTING
SIBLINGSSMOKINGSOCIAL ATTITUDES
SOCIAL ISSUESSOCIAL VALUESSOCIO-CULTURAL CLUBS
SOLVENT ABUSESPORTS EQUIPMENTSUPERVISORY STATUS
THEFTTRANSPORT FARESUNEMPLOYMENT
VAGRANTSWITNESS INTIMIDATIONWITNESSES
YOUNG OFFENDERSYOUTHYOUTH COURTS
YOUTH CRIMEYOUTH EMPLOYMENT

Administrative and access information

Date of release:
First edition: 27 March 2007
Latest edition: 04 December 2008 ( Edition 3 )
Copyright: Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland
Access conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions of access for further information.
Availability: UK Data Service
Contact: Get in touch

Documentation

TitleFile NameSize (KB)
User Guide 5601userguide.pdf 2090
Study information and citation UKDA_Study_5601_Information.htm 25
READ File read5601.htm 11

Related studies:

Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, 2003 (SN 5248)
Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, 2004 (SN 5374)
Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, 2006 (SN 6000)
Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, 2003-2006: Longitudinal Analysis Data (SN 6345)

Related case studies:

Using ESDS data to explore weapon carrying among young people
Are alcohol pricing policies effective in reducing crime and health issues?

Related support guides:

Guide to Offending, Crime and Justice Survey

Publications

Publications based on the OCJS are available online from The National Archives' Home Office Crime - research and statistics publications web archive page.

Variables

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