Unreported

Unreported refers to information, events, or data that have not been officially reported, documented, or disclosed by a source. The term is used across disciplines to distinguish observed or recorded material from what remains unknown, undisclosed, or inaccessible. Unreported data often require indirect methods to estimate or infer its existence and scope.

In criminology and crime statistics, unreported crimes describe offenses not reported to authorities, creating the dark figure of crime. Reasons include fear of retaliation, stigma, distrust of law enforcement, perceived insignificance, or procedural barriers. The prevalence of unreported crime can distort risk measures, policy design, and resource allocation.

In economics and tax administration, unreported income refers to earnings hidden from authorities, often part of the underground or informal economy. Cash transactions, self-employment income, and illicit activity contribute to underreporting, reducing tax revenue and biasing estimates of economic activity. Governments estimate the scope of underreporting using surveys and indirect methods.

In health surveillance and pharmacovigilance, underreporting of adverse events is common. Healthcare professionals and patients may fail to report effects due to lack of awareness, uncertainty about causality, or administrative burden. Underreporting can delay safety signals and hinder post-market assessments.

In research and data collection, unreported or missing data complicate analysis. Differences in definition, nonresponse, and selective disclosure can bias results. Analysts use imputation, sensitivity analysis, and triangulation to address unreported information, though residual uncertainty often remains.