Today's news stories include one claiming that sexual offences against children rose by 8% from 2008/9 to 2009/10. The police reportedly recorded some 23,000 offences according to information obtained by the NSPCC. The Home Office, of course, has said that the figures are appalling.
On the face of things, these figures are certainly suggestive of a fairly appalling situation, however, there is no further detail and what the figures really show is open to interpretation. The NSPCC, which obviously has its own corner to fight, will obviously claim that they show that thousands of defenceless children are being abused and something must be done to prevent it. The Home Office statement appears to be pretty ambivalent - saying that the figures are 'appalling' is as near to saying nothing as they can get but, without any further details, what more can they sensibly say ?
What the figures do is to raise additional questions. Was there any change in the recording methodology between the 2 years in question ? Was there any change in policing methods or emphasis between the 2 years ? What counted as an 'offence' ? How many of the recorded instances ended in arrest, caution or prosecution ? How many of the associated accusations were later withdrawn or found to be groundless ? How many prosecutions were successful ?
Without answers to these questions, and others, the figures publicised today are actually meaningless, and that is appalling.
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