ANNEX I. >> M  etadata sheets on selected indicators Indicator 8 Percentage of crimes reported to the police (victimization survey) [e.g., table on the right to a fair trial] Definition  The indicator is calculated as the percentage of persons who report being the victim of a particular crime in the past five years and who reported the last particular crime/event to the police. Rationale  The indicator captures to a certain extent the effort required of States to respect, protect and fulfil the right to a fair trial, in conformity with articles 14 and 15 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and their elaboration in general comment No. 13 (1984). The indicator is a good summary measure of the level of awareness, and perceived effectiveness and desirability, of the available legal remedies, and the level of public trust in the police force and criminal justice system overall. As such, it reflects, in part, the public perception of the willingness of a State to realize the right to a fair trial and take the steps required to this end. It is a process indicator related to the “access and equality before the courts and tribunals” attribute of the right to a fair trial, the “security from crime and abuse by law enforcement officials” attribute of the right to liberty and security of person, and the “community and domestic violence” attribute of the right not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Method of computation  The indicator is computed as the percentage of persons who, in a population-based victimization survey, reported that they had been the victim of a particular crime in the past five years and who said that they had reported the last particular crime/event to the police. As police reporting rates vary significantly for different criminal offences, the indicator should be disaggregated by type of crime to be clear as to its contents. One standard aggregate indicator that may be used, however, is the overall reporting rate to the police for the five types of crime: “theft from a car”, “theft of a bicycle”, “burglary”, “attempted burglary”, and “theft of personal property” (see http://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/icvs-2005-survey.aspx, accessed 2 July 2012). Data collection and source  The main sources of data are national population-based survey results, particularly crime victimization surveys. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Manual on Victimization Surveys provides guidance on the conduct of crime victimization surveys, including question wording for police-reporting rates and methods of data analysis and presentation. Periodicity  As the indicator is based on survey data, periodicity will vary depending on time between surveys. For victimization surveys, this period is generally between one and five years. Disaggregation  Where the sample size is sufficiently large and structured so as to provide statistically representative results by subgroup, the indicator should be disaggregated by sex, age, economic and social situation, ethnicity, minority, indigenous, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, migrant, disability, sexual orientation, place of residence, region, administrative unit, and rural/urban, and according to type of crime. Comments and limitations  The indicator does not provide information on process aspects of the fairness of criminal trials per se. Reporting of crime victimization is influenced by perceptions of police effectiveness and ultimate likelihood of the perpetrator being identified and brought to justice, as well as many other factors, including the perceived seriousness of the offence, insurance requirements, fear of reprisals or secondary victimization. Human Rights Indicators 153

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