The Cayman Islands’ 2021 Census Results on Experience of Crime: What Does This Tell Us About Victims?

The 2021 census for the Cayman Islands asked two new questions that did not feature in any previous census. Section 11 of the questionnaire asked whether any respondent had been a victim of crime (excluding traffic) during the past 12 months and, if so, whether they had reported it. Because there is no crime survey undertaken in the Islands, this is a valuable addition to the census, and the results can be viewed in a number of ways in combination with the remainder of the demographic data from the questionnaire. Furthermore, the experience of crime and the claimed levels of reporting of crime can be compared to the police statistics for actual recorded crime to provide a clearer picture of crime reporting. While these new census questions provide valuable insights, the study also highlights limitations in the current approach, including the lack of data on crime types, frequency and impact. We recommend implementing a more comprehensive annual crime survey to address these gaps and enhance understanding of crime patterns. This research contributes to the broader discussion on crime data collection methodologies in small island nations and their implications for policy development and resource allocation in law enforcement.