Matching Survey Responses to Official Records: An Exploration of Validity in Victimization Reporting

Abstract

Record check studies-involving the comparison of survey rcsponses with external record evidence-are a familiar tool in survey methodology. The findings of a recently conducted reverse record check study are reported here. The analyses examine match rates between survey reports and police records, employing more or less restrictive match criteria-e.g., using various computer algorithms versus human judgments. The analyses reveal marked differences in the level of survey-record correspondence. Since the level of match rate appears highly variable depending on the definition of a match, we advocate reexamination of the lessons of previous record check studies which employed only vaguely specified match criteria. We argue, further, that record evidence may best be employed in constructing alternative indicators of phenomena to be measured, rather than as the arbiter of survey response quality. Peter V. Miller is Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Research Faculty, Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research, Northwestern University. Robert M. Groves is Associate Research Scientist, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan. Research for this article was partially supprted by a contract from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice. The article does not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Justice. The authors are indebted to Allen H. Andrews, Superintendent of Police, Peoria, Illinois, for making the study possible and to Dr. Charles Cannell, Dr. Charles Cowan, and Dr. Wesley Skogan for insightful comments on an earlier draft. The authors are responsible for any errors which remain. Public Opinion Quarterly Vol 49 366-380 co by the Trustees ol Columbia University Published bv Elsevier Science Ptblishing Co . Inc M033-362X/85A1(149-3661$2 50 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.189 on Thu, 04 Aug 2016 06:27:00 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MATCHING SURVEY RESPONSES TO OFFICIAL RECORDS 367