CRIME AND CRIME RATES (FROM SAMPLE SURVEYS OF THE VICTIMS OF CRIME, 1976, BY WESLEY G SKOGAN - SEE NCJ-38961)

• NCJ Number: 46908
• Author(s): W G SKOGAN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): NI-99-0032
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Ballinger Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OFFICIAL AND SURVEY MEASURES OF CRIME AND BETWEEN EACH TYPE OF MEASURE AND THE TRUE CRIME RATE ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

THERE ARE THREE FACTORS THAT MAKE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIME STATISTICS AND THE CRIME RATE PROBLEMATIC: VARIATIONS IN THE RATE AT WHICH CITIZENS REPORT THEIR EXPERIENCES TO THE POLICE; DIFFERENCES IN THE WAY POLICE DEPARTMENTS RECEIVE, EVALUATE, AND ACCOUNT FOR CITIZEN REPORTS; AND METHODOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE EACH MEASURE A LESS ACCURATE INDICATOR OF THE CRIME RATE. EACH OF THESE THREE FACTORS ARE EXAMINED SEPARATELY. THE CENSUS BUREAU VICTIMIZATION SURVEY CONDUCTED IN 1973 FOUND THAT ABOUT 49 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONAL ROBBERIES REPORTED IN THE SURVEY WERE ALSO REPORTED TO THE POLICE; THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR 46 PERCENT OF THE HOUSEHOLD BURGLARIES, 86 PERCENT OF THE COMMERCIAL ROBBERIES, AND 79 PERCENT OF THE COMMERCIAL BURGLARIES. VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS INDICATE THAT REPORTING PRACTICES ALSO VARY FROM CITY TO CITY; MIAMI (FLA.), WASHINGTON (D.C.), AND ATLANTA (GA.) HAVE HIGH REPORTING RATES WHILE PORTLAND (OREG.) SAN FRANCISCO (CALIF.), AND NEWARK (N.J.) HAVE LOW REPORTING RATES. REASONS FOR NONREPORTING, SUCH AS FEELINGS THAT NOTHING CAN BE ACHIEVED IN THE WAY OF PERSONAL RETRIBUTION OR FEAR OF OFFENDER HARRASSMENT, ARE DISCUSSED. ASPECTS OF POLICE UNDERRECORDING ARE ALSO EXAMINED; THE ROLE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A POLITICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL FILTER THROUGH WHICH REPORTED OFFENSES ARE SHIFTED FROM CATEGORY TO CATEGORY, OFFICIALLY DOWNGRADED OR SIMPLY IGNORED IS UNDERSCORED. THE ROLE OF THE BEAT PATROLMAN WITH REGARD TO PRESSURES TO DISCOUNT OR IGNORE POTENTIALLY BONA FIDE COMPLAINTS AS A MATTER OF MANAGERIAL EFFICIENCY IS ALSO DISCUSSED. METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN THE SURVEY SUCH AS TIME TELESCOPING AND RECALL FAILURES ON THE PART OF VICTIMS BEING INTERVIEWED, VICTIM VERACITY, AND PERHAPS THE MOST SERIOUS METHODOLOGICAL ISSUE, THE COMPARABILITY OF COVERAGE OF VICTIM SURVEYS AND POLICE REPORTS, ARE DISCUSSED. WITH REGARD TO COVERAGE, INTERVIEWERS AND THE POLICE GATHER DATA FROM SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT GROUPS; COMPLAINTS FROM TRANSIENT VISITORS TO THE CENTRAL CITY ARE INCLUDED IN PUBLISHED CRIME REPORTS BASED ON POLICE INFORMATION, WHILE VICTIM SURVEYS GATHER INFORMATION FROM CITY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES. THE TWO REFERENCE POPULATIONS GENERALLY OVERLAP, BUT THE DEGREE OF STATISTICAL CORRESPONDENCE DIFFERS FROM PLACE TO PLACE. DISCUSSION AND TABULAR DATA REGARDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF REPORTING AND RECORDING ACCUARACY ARE PROVIDED. REFERENCE NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)