2.1. Dark or Hidden Figure of Crime 
SHANELL SANCHEZ 
It is difficult to determine that amount of crime that occurs in our communities every year because many 
crimes never come to the attention of the criminal justice system. There are various reasons that will be 
discussed, such as victims not reporting, victims not realizing they are victims, and offenders not getting 
caught. Research reveals, that on average, more than half of the nation’s violent crimes, or nearly 3.4 million 
violent victimizations per year, went unreported to the police between 2006 and 2010, according to a 
new report published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). 
1 Because of this underreporting of crime, 
criminologists often refer to a concept known as the dark figure of crime. 
There are three general sources of crime statistics that will be covered in this chapter: official statistics, 
which we often describe as reported statistics, self-report statistics, and victimization statistics. Each of these 
sources of crime statistics has pros and cons, and we will spend time discussing those as well. Additionally, we 
will discuss the importance of looking at crime trends over time, relying upon statistics and research when 
developing policy, and how data should be a tool that enhances the criminal justice system. 
If we have accurate and reliable crime statistics, we can evaluate criminal justice policies and programs. For 
example, we could use crime statistics to see if incarcerating drug offenders is effective. Such effectiveness 
is studied in the correctional system via the ‘risk principal,’ or classifying people based on the level of risk. 
https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/fedsen27&div=37&id=&page= 
Relying on official statistics can be problematic to grasp a correct understanding of crime in society 
because many crimes never even come to the attention of the criminal justice system. Official statistics are 
often the crimes that are known or reported to police or others. It may seem shocking that people do not 
report crimes, but it is more common than we think. Let us take the example of looking at the gap between 
reported and unreported crimes. 
Dark Figure of Crime Example 
My father-in-law grew up in a small town in South Dakota. When his family moved to Colorado, they still had 
a rural mindset to their property. They often think people should not touch other peoples things, so there is no 
1. Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2012). Nearly 3.4 million violent crimes per year. https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/press/vnrp0610pr.cfm 
69