LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Sir, YOUR article on a reported increase in crime in the Baleares is worthy of further analysis. Although it is likely that there has been a genuine increase in the incidence of crime in the Baleares and other Spanish regions, it could be that the latest statistics should give cause for optimism. Official crime statistics indicate the numbers of reported crimes: i.e. crimes brought to the attention of the police. Offences such as domestic violence and other “family matters” have traditionally remained absent from official scrutiny, with few perpetrators being brought to justice. Worse still, the victims of such offences have been left to suffer in silence, sometimes even pressured to keep quiet to preserve family honour. The apparent increase in the reporting of such incidents may therefore indicate growth of confidence in the criminal justice system and a new awareness of the need to report crime in order to secure fitting levels of public awareness and concern. A useful exercise may be to follow the example of the British Crime Survey, in which the population is surveyed for its real experience of crime, reported or not. This can go a long way to shining a light on the “dark figure of crime” or the “hidden numbers” referred to in your article.