If an arrest occurs, the chance is less than 50 percent that a conviction will result. Finally, it is questionable that the convicted criminal will go to prison. Selecting the Criminal Selecting the criminal explains why the prison population has the socio-demographic characteristics that it has. The prison population does not look like the population of people who commit crimes. These political bodies pass laws against certain kinds of behavior.
Legislative bodies decide penalties for violating the laws they pass.
B. Selection by the Victim Two out of three crimes are never reported to the police . They victim makes a decision whether to report. The seriousness of the offence. The status of the offender. With reference to the seriousness of the offence, petty crimes and white-collar crimes seldom come to the attention of the police.