Should sociologists make use of official statistics?

Official statistics refer to data already collected by the government and its agencies. Official statistics can be used as a general research tool covering topics ranging from the economy, unemployment, health, education and crime.  They enable researchers to understand the dynamics of society as well as charting trends within society.  They provide the government and social policy formulators with data, which in turn influence social policy and bring to light areas in society, which need attention. In recent years the Government Statistical Service which was set up in 1941 has co-ordinated the production of government statistics, but the production of large scale…(short extract)