Police, Courts and Justice in India
Unregistered Crimes: The FIR Problem
Why many crimes in India go unreported or unregistered, how this distorts crime statistics, and how online FIRs and evidence from surveys help.
A crime becomes official when police register a First Information Report (FIR).
Under-registration
Many crimes are never reported or registered:
- Victims fear police or think reporting is useless.
- Police may discourage registration to keep crime numbers low, since high numbers look bad.
Distorted statistics
NCRB data reflect registered crimes, not all crimes. A state with more registration may appear to have more crime.
Evidence
- A study in Rajasthan found that when police were required to register FIRs, recorded crime rose, showing earlier under-registration.
- Victimisation surveys in other countries estimate true crime rates better.
Reforms
- Zero FIR: a crime can be registered at any police station, regardless of location.
- E-FIRs for some crimes, expanded under the 2024 criminal laws.
- Mandatory registration for serious crimes per Supreme Court rulings (Lalita Kumari, 2013).
Why it matters
Accurate data help allocate police resources and evaluate policies. Rising registered crime can signal better access, not worse safety.
After a state makes online complaints easy, its registered thefts jump. Critics call it a crime wave, but it reflects more people reporting.
They show registered crime, which often understates reality.
- Many crimes go unreported or unregistered.
- Police may discourage registration to keep numbers low.
- Zero FIRs and e-FIRs improve access.
- Rising registered crime can reflect better reporting.
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