Recidivism in Australia : findings and future research - Australian ...

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Recidivism in Australia: findings and future research
The answer is that it cannot. Instead, like many other social phenomena whose precise
quantities cannot be measured, understanding must develop in response to the information
that is available. This raises two fundamental methodological questions which recidivism
researchers must address:
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In the absence of accurate and accessible information on the nature and extent
of an individual’s actual total offending behaviour, what source of information
is the most appropriate to obtain the best estimate of their offending?
Since each source of data is unlikely to be an entirely accurate measure of a person’s
offending, what definitions and counting rules should be applied to minimise error
and ensure consistency?
What data source should be used?
In the context of recidivism research, there are two main sources of data – self-reported
and administrative offending data. Self-reported offending data are collected by asking
an offender to provide information on all, or a selection of criminal offences they have
committed. In some studies offenders are asked to recall historical events over their
entire lifetime (see Johnson 2004; Makkai & Payne 2003a; Prichard & Payne 2005),
while in others, they are required to report their offending over a shorter period,
such as the past six or 12 months (Mouzos, Smith & Hind 2006).
Administrative data are the sources of information compiled by agencies involved in the
administration of criminal justice services. These administrative agencies include the police,
the courts and the corrective services agencies, but on the periphery are others such as the
offices of the directors of public prosecutions, legal aid services, departments of community
services and the Australian Taxation Office. Each of these agencies collects information in
the course of the administrative role they perform in the criminal justice system. The police
for example are involved in the investigation of criminal offences and the apprehension,
arrest and charging of offenders. The courts are responsible for processing criminal matters
from first appearance to finalisation, while the corrective services agencies are charged with
the responsibility of managing the offenders placed by the court in their care, as either remanded
or sentenced prisoners in a community corrections or a custodial setting.