The map and the territory
Cognitive thresholds in crime reporting
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17804798 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Gareth Stubbs (0000-0002-7631-2823, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani - Dubai Campus, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-23 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Criminology & Criminal Justice (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1748-8958 • E-ISSN: 1748-8966 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/17488958261436603 |
| OpenAlex | W7155491990 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 47 |
This study examines how decisions to report crime vary across population groups, testing the hypothesis that individuals possess “windows of surprise” – learned thresholds for institutional engagement – shaped by social, economic, and psychological factors. A cross-sectional online survey (n = 1948) presented participants with crime vignettes of increasing severity. K-means clustering identified three latent reporting profiles, with entropy values used to assess response variability. Cluster 1 (lower income, mixed employment) displayed the broadest reporting threshold and highest entropy, especially for low-severity offences. Cluster 0 (moderate income, stable employment) showed narrow, consistent thresholds. Cluster 2 (higher income, higher education) revealed context-sensitive patterns. Income, gender, education, religion, and household structure significantly differentiated clusters. Results indicate that crime reporting is shaped by structured cognitive filters rather than uniform offence recognition. While serious crimes prompt consistent reporting, lower-harm offences are unevenly interpreted, particularly in disadvantaged groups, raising concerns about representational equity in crime data and the need for policing strategies that acknowledge these disparities
Cluster analysis · Cognition · Disadvantaged · Poison control · Population · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |