Citizens' Reactions to a National Crime Prevention Campaign - A Survey Evaluation (From Mass Communication Strategy for Generating Citizen Action Against Crime - See NCJ-86573)

• NCJ Number: 86578
• Author(s): G J O'Keefe; H Mendelsohn; J Liu
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 94 pages
• Grant Number(s): 78-NI-AX-0105
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: University of Denver
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Available on microfiche as NCJ-86578

Annotation

This interim report presents the principal findings of a national sample survey that evaluated the impact of the first phase of the Advertising Council's 'Take a Bite Out of Crime' crime prevention information campaign.

Abstract

The data reported come from 1,502 personal interviews with a national probability sample of U.S. adults aged 18 and over during April 1980. The results reported here deal primarily with the extent of citizen exposure to the campaign and the effectiveness of the campaign, particularly in the areas of information gain and attitudinal and behavioral change by those exposed. Thirty percent of the respondents recalled having seen at least one of the 'Detective Dog' advertisements. Most respondents saw it on television. Well over half of those exposed could verbalize what the ad they saw was about, and most thought the ad to be both effective and favorably impressive. Over a quarter of those recalling a specific ad said they had learned something about crime prevention as a consequence; 43 percent changed their attitudes about prevention; and 15 percent said they had changed a behavior as a result of their exposure. Those exposed to the campaign were heavier users of mass media in general and paid particular attention to public service advertisements. They were decidedly younger, likelier to be male, and situated in the middle to lower social class strata. The elderly were conspicuously low in their exposure. The more altruistic respondents as well as those more distrustful of others were somewhat likelier to be exposed, as were those who were more interested in crime prevention and those who perceived themselves to be more competent in crime prevention. The report presents preliminary findings regarding citizen orientations toward crime and crime prevention, with attention to the design of more effective campaign strategies. Extensive tabular data are provided. (Author summary modified)