NCRB report: How to make use of data is the challenge

THE latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has some telling statistics. The year 2023 saw a sharp surge of 31.2 per cent in cybercrime incidents. The figures for the subsequent years are bound to be much higher. It underscores how tackling online fraud keeps getting tougher. Crimes against Scheduled Tribes went up by 28 per cent. Grappling with ethnic violence since May 2023, Manipur was the worst-affected state — 3,399 cases from just one registered under this category in 2022. It’s a reminder that fault lines run deep in the North-eastern state and a return to normalcy needs sustained effort. In 2023, Delhi reported 1,088 rape cases, the highest among 19 metropolitan cities. Overall, crime against women saw a decline of 5.59 per cent in comparison to 2022. Considering the huge under-reporting of crime in this category, these are numbers that are deeply concerning.

A national system for collecting and collating crime statistics, the NCRB report provides critical insights. Whether it is forcing a policy rethink is the key question. There is a school of thought that cautions against looking at the data in isolation. What’s also essential, it is stressed, is a broader understanding of the intersection of life and crime. That demands not just quantitative collation of data, but qualitative assessment too, like studying the socio-political factors that affect people and institutions. The level of development, functioning of the judiciary and the role of the police are all significant aspects to be considered.

Data as a marker of truth without getting a sense of the background and context can be misleading. The NCRB report may not present a complete picture, but provides important cues. How to make optimum use of the data is the challenge.