International Journal on Criminology Volume 1, Number 1, Fall 2013 | Page 60

Competition Between Those Involved in Public Debate on Crime Statistics
The new methodological framework suggested by the OND was validated by its
board of advisers at the end of 2004. The main characteristic of the working framework
of the OND resides in particular in the replacement of the total incidents recorded also
called “single figure”, by a series of non cumulative indicators, which constitute “an
initial concrete rationalisation of aggregates of transgression in criminalisation by a
differentiated division of crimes and offences according to two major methods of reactive
and proactive practices which were still never translated clearly in ministerial
documents” (Ocqueteau 2012).
The publication, as of December 2004, of articles which only include statistics
extracted from the état 4001 was considered by the OND as acceptable subject to
insisting on the impossible nature of interpreting them in terms of crime committed and
this, within the work carried out in particular by Merton (1957). This choice, which
demands retention within the strict parameters of crime recorded and it allowed the OND
to disclose its working framework. By offering different contents of institutional
communication of the ministry of the interior regarding incidents recorded, it has become
a producer of statistics entering into competition with the OND. Given that “the difficulty
is not limited to gathering information, it also affected the meaning of information given”
(Foucart 2001).
Having had access to public debate, the OND which in 2010 became the ONDRP
(RP being the French acronym meaning punishment responses) recommends
methodology which is not compatible with the use and interpretation of institutional
communication. Any reference based on statistics from the état 4001 to “general crime”,
to “the overall rate of resolving crime cases ” and any interpretation relating to crimes
committed which are in contradiction with methodological principles defined by the
ONDRP.
If a ministerial statistics services relating to crime had existed in the ministry of the
interior, the competition between the use and interpretation relating to institutional
communication or public statistics would have existed within the ministry, without
necessarily coming up in public debate.
With a lack of SSM and to respond to the mission which was attributed in terms of
crime statistics, the OND decided to insert its action in the framework of public statistics,
as Stefan Lollivier has already noted in 2008, when he remarked that “OND now has all
the characteristics of a ministerial statistics services and could become so in the short
term if its increasingly significant role in public statistics was confirmed” (Lollivier
2008).
And since 2004, in a project summarizing a future annual report of the ONDRP
submitted to the board of advisers that it is specified that decisions for modification and
validation of statistical work is necessarily based on “statistical considerations”. This
expression is often quoted in the code of good practice of European statistics adopted on
the February 24th, 15 and in particular in its sixth principal:
“Fairness and objectivity – Statistical authorities have to produce and distribute
European statistics with respect to scientific independence and in an objective,
professional and transparent manner putting all users at the same level.
Indicators
– Statistics are established on an objective basis determined by statistical
considerations
–The choice of sources and technical statistics is made according to statistical
considerations
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15 http://www.autorite-statistique-publique.fr/pdf/missions/Code_bonnes_pratiques_Europe.pdf
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