I retired from the magistracy in 2015 after 17 years mainly as a presiding justice

United Kingdom
My current blog can be accessed at https://thejusticeofthepeaceblog.blogspot.com/

THE VAGARIES OF STATISTICS

 12. Aug. 2010. – 12:12:00 

It is well known that artists and photographers can create dramatic effects by the judicious use of contrast. Indeed using contrast in a literary context can heighten the writer`s intended effect of his words on a reader who might have been lulled into temporary stasis by tiredness or simple boredom.

But when news items throw into stark relief misinterpretation or an incredible demonstration of a retreat from reality on important topics one just wonders.

Many studies have demonstrated that between 5% and 20% of drivers are uninsured at any one time. That there is no confirmed figure is an indication of the uncertainty on the prevalence of this offence. Considering that every taxed vehicle must be insured and the results can be obtained on hand held computers by police it is surely only a short time until agreed proven figures for uninsured drivers will be published. Nevertheless it is surprising that during a recent police check on the A51 out of more than 3000 vehicles stopped in a four hour period only four were seized at the roadside for having no insurance. The conclusions are fairly limited.

A} Not every non insured driver had his vehicle seized
B} Some cases required further investigation
C} National statistics are wholly inaccurate
D} Drivers on that day at that time were not typical of various statistical databases
E} Police computers were faulty

I suppose some senior plod in Cheshire Police decided the exercise was an efficient use of limited resources.

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