CITY LIFE AND DELINQUENCY - VICTIMIZATION, FEAR OF CRIME, AND GANG MEMBERSHIP

• NCJ Number: 40240
• Author(s): L D SAVITZ; M LALLI; L ROSEN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 0 pages
• Grant Number(s): NI-71-140; NI-71-160; NI-71-160; 73-NI-99-0009
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Temple University
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT PRESENTS FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF A STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF DELINQUENCY TO VICTIMIZATION, FEAR OF CRIME, AND ALTERED BEHAVIOR AS A RESULT OF CRIME, AS WELL AS TO GANG MEMBERSHIP.

Abstract

THE STUDY WAS PART OF A LARGER PROJECT WHICH PROBED THE CAUSES OF DELINQUENCY USING A SIZABLE STUDY POPULATION (OVER 1,000 MALES) WHOSE MEMBERS WERE BORN IN 1957, WERE BLACK OR WHITE, ATTENDED CATHOLIC PAROCHIAL OR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND LIVED IN PHILADELPHIA, PA. BOTH THE BOYS AND THEIR MOTHERS WERE INTERVIEWED DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, AND THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS FOR THE BOY, SOCIAL VALUES, QUALITY OF LIFE, FATHER-SON INTERACTION, FAMILY STRUCTURE, SOCIAL ATTACHMENTS, VICTIMIZATION, AND THE BOY'S GANG AFFILIATIONS. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY ON VICTIMIZATION INDICATED THAT JUVENILE AND HOUSEHOLD VICTIMIZATION IN ONE YEAR WAS POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH JUVENILE AND HOUSEHOLD VICTIMIZATION IN THE SECOND YEAR; THAT CURIOUS PATTERNS OF MULTIPLE VICTIMIZATION OCCURRED FOR BLACK YOUTHS; AND THAT NO SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS WERE FOUND WHEN DELINQUENCY (OFFICIALLY RECORDED) WAS RELATED TO VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCE. OTHER FINDINGS SUGGESTED THAT ADULT FEAR LEVELS WERE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN JUVENILE FEAR LEVELS AND BLACK PARENTS WERE PARTICULARLY FRIGHTENED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THEIR CHILDREN BEING INJURED OR ROBBED. THE MAJOR AREAS OF JUVENILE FEAR WERE STREETS MORE THAN A BLOCK FROM HOME, SUBWAYS, PARKS, AND STREETS GOING TO AND FROM SCHOOLS. MOST ADULTS TRIED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF VICTIMIZATION BY MULTIPLE AVOIDANCES, AND A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION ENGAGED IN WEAPONS REACTION. MOST BLACK YOUTHS WERE LIKELY TO AVOID TALKING TO OR MEETING STRANGERS, TO GO OUT ALONE AT NIGHT, OR TO ENTER ANOTHER GANG'S TERRITORY AT NIGHT OR DAY. FINALLY, STRUCTURAL GANG MEMBERS HAD HEIGHTENED FEARS OF THE LOCAL AREA AND SPECIFIC SOCIAL SETTINGS, WERE MORE VICTIMIZED, AND WERE MORE PRONE TO ACQUIRE A DELINQUENCY RECORD THAN NONSTRUCTURAL GANG MEMBERS. ADDITIONAL FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. A TOTAL OF 49 TABLES AND 3 FIGURES ARE GIVEN. FOR A SUMMARY REPORT OF THE PROJECT, SEE NCJ 40239.