NCJ Number
65282
Date Published
1979
Length
81 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE PRESENTED OF A SURVEY OF CITIZENS' ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME AND THEIR VICTIMIZATION RATE IN BREVARD COUNTY, FLA.
Abstract
STUDY RESULTS WERE OBTAINED THROUGH A TELEPHONE SURVEY OF OVER 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS CHOSEN AT RANDOM IN BREVARD COUNTY, USING A 23-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE. RESULTS SHOW THAT WHILE MOST INHABITANTS OF BREVARD COUNTY FELT SAFE WITHIN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY ALSO THOUGHT CRIME WAS INCREASING. OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PROBLEMS CITED, OVER ONE-FOURTH BELIEVED THAT POLICE ARE TOO FEW IN NUMBER AND SUFFICIENTLY VISIBLE. TWO-THIRDS NOTICED A DRUG PROBLEMS IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND CITED OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS VANDALISM, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY OR TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, ABOUT 88 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONS QUESTIONED BELIEVED THE POLICE WERE DOING AN AVERAGE TO EXCELLENT JOB, ALTHOUGH THE COUNTY SHERIFF, EMBROILED IN A SCANDAL, WAS SCORED FOR CORRUPTION. MANY RESPONDENTS ALSO FELT THAT COURTS WERE TOO LENIENT WITH CRIMINALS AND BLOCKED THE EFFORTS OF THE POLICE TO COMBAT CRIMINALS. THE VICTIMIZATION SURVEY SHOWED THAT OVER 200 RESPONDENTS HAD BEEN VICTIMIZED OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS, BUT WERE NOT RELUCTANT TO CALL THE POLICE. TABLES, CHARTS, AND A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)