Factors Influencing the Results of Perpetrator Surveys in Dark Field Research – an Empirical Example

Abstract

Dark field research is a central element of criminology. In Germany, this type of research is primarily implemented in the form of victim surveys. Perpetrator surveys among adults are an exception and only comparable to a limited extent. For the following article, 535 young adults were interviewed about 14 wrongdoings. The formulations were taken from a survey of perpetrators from the Freiburg area. As the results differed significantly from the original survey, a follow-up survey was carried out with some of the respondents in a subsequent step. Factors influencing the truthful participation in the perpetrator survey were ascertained in the context of group discussions. The results not only illustrate problems in recording the lifetime prevalence of any study group, but also highlight difficulties in using dark field data.