Accuracy and reliability

Overall accuracy

The reliability of the statistics on convicted persons is considered to be good. The data on convictions come from a single administrative register and Statistics Denmark receives a single total extract including all the convicted criminal offences in Denmark. The statistics include all convictions registered in the central criminal register at the time the extract to Statistics Denmark is done, typically about 1 February following the relevant calendar year. A number of convictions made during the calendar year have not been registered before the time of extraction. This implies that the total number of convictions presumably is under-estimated. The exact size is not known but is regarded as limited and of the same extent each year.

Sampling error

There is no sampling error as the statistics are compiled on the basis of registers.

Non-sampling error

The statistics include all persons who have got one or several convictions which have been registered in the central criminal register at the time the extract to Statistics Denmark is done, typically about 1 February following the relevant calendar year. A number of convictions have been sentenced during the calendar year, yet, they are not necessarily registered before the time of extraction. That implies that the total number of convictions presumably is under-estimated. The exact size is not known but is regarded as limited and of the same extent each year.

The statistics does not include all fines as fines below DKK 2,500 for violation of the road traffic act and fines below DKK 1,000 for violation of the main part of the other special laws are not registered in the central criminal register.

Quality management

Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.

Quality assurance

Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.

Quality assessment

The data on convictions come from a single administrative register and Statistics Denmark receives a single total extract including all the convicted criminal offences in Denmark. The statistics include all convictions registered in the central criminal register at the time the extract to Statistics Denmark is done, typically about 1 February following the relevant calendar year. A number of convictions have been sentenced during the calendar year, yet, they are not necessarily registered before the time of extraction. This implies that the total number of convictions presumably is under-estimated. The exact size is not known but is regarded as limited and of the same extent each year.

The statistics does not include all fines as fines below DKK 2,500 for violation of the road traffic act and fines below DKK 1,000 for violation of the main part of the other special laws are not registered in the central criminal register.

Police activity such as speed controls or special efforts in the night life can in itself affect the number of convicted persons. Therefore, one need to take this into account when studying the development in the number of persons convicted (typically fines) for violation of the road traffic act and other special laws such as police regulation and euphoriants act.

There is no sampling error as the statistics are compiled on the basis of registers.

The statistics are only published as final figures and are not later revised.

In order to obtain information about reliability of the data from the Population Register please consult the documentation of statistics "Immigrants and descendants". Likewise, in order to obtain information about the reliability of the data from the income register, please consult the documentation of statistics "Income statistics".

Data revision - policy

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.

Data revision practice

Only final figures are published and are not later revised.