UK DATA ARCHIVE DOCUMENTATION


4599 - British Crime Survey, 1988 : Scottish Data


Data Archive processing standards
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The data were processed to the UK Data Archive's 'B' standard*. A 
substantial series of checks was carried out to ensure the quality of 
the data and documentation. Firstly, checks were made that the number of 
cases and variables matched the depositor's records. Secondly, logical 
checks were performed on a sample of 30 +10% of the remaining nominal 
(categorical) variables had values within the range defined (either by 
value labels or in the depositor's documentation). Thirdly, any data or 
documentation that breached confidentiality rules were altered or 
suppressed to preserve anonymity.

All notable and/or outstanding problems discovered are detailed under 
the Data and documentation problems heading below.

*UKDA did endeavour to process this study to 'A' standard, so many more
variables than the basic amount specified above have been checked. Due to
the age of the dataset, however, full 'A' standard processing has not been
possible, though some variable labels have been added.


Conversion of data and documentation formats
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Data converted to SPSS portable format from original SPSS .sav files.
Hard copy documentation scanned and compiled into Adobe PDF user guide.
Bookmarks created to aid navigation.


Data and documentation problems
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Many derived variable labels are missing from the data and are not
covered in the technical report. Users should therefore be aware
that these variables should be treated with caution.

Categorical variables throughout the dataset have one or two cases
of '0', where the range of values runs from 1 onwards, or isolated
values of 6 where the range runs 1 to 5. There are a few other out
of range codes elsewhere in the dataset, but this should not present
a problem to users.

Some coded textual variables (for example FB58CA1/2 in main88b, which
covers complaints to the police) have some unlabelled values - users should
be aware of this when conducting analysis. Similarly, where coded textual
variables are covered by annotated technical report coding notes (e.g.
victim form question 16), meanings may be unclear, and the depositor
advises that such variables are treated with caution.

Victim form (file vf88):
Many of the questions here have a separate variable for each response.
The value assigned to the affirmative answer is the number that response
has in the Victim Form questionnaire. 
For example, V41a - V41c correspond to question 41 - V41A denotes whether
the victim knew the offender by sight, and has 94 cases of '1' - '1' being
the value assigned to 'Knew offenders by sight' response to question 41.
V41B denotes whether the victim knew the offender casually, and has 81
cases of '2' - '2' being the value assigned to the 'Knew offenders casually'
response. Similarly, V41C denotes whether the victim knew the offender well,
and has 155 cases of '3' - '3' being the value assigned to the 'Knew offenders
well' response. This type of coding occurs throughout the victim form file,
and also elsewhere in the dataset - users should be aware of this, as they
may at first look like unlabelled values.


Notes from data delivery and post-order corrections
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