Crime and Criminal Justice in New York State: a Survey of Public Opinion, Volume 1 -- Crime, Neighborhood Safety and Responses to Crime

• NCJ Number: 115585
• Author(s): S E Lansing
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 31 pages
• Corporate Author: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report presents the results of a telephone survey of 1,000 randomly selected New York State residents during October and November 1987 regarding their perceptions of crime, neighborhood safety, and crime prevention measures.

Abstract

The survey assessed whether people believed crime had decreased, increased, or stayed the same in the preceding year. It also explored where individuals obtained crime information, the impact of victimization on perceptions of crime, and factors affecting perceptions of neighborhood safety. Other questions surveyed measures taken by individuals to protect persons and property and awareness of neighborhood crime prevention programs. New York State residents were much more likely to believe crime had increased statewide rather than in their neighborhoods. The primary source of information on crime was the news media. Victimization was directly related to perceptions of increasing crime in neighborhoods. The majority felt relatively safe out alone in their neighborhoods at all times. Perceptions of neighborhood safety were related to demographic characteristics, urbanization, quality of neighborhoods, perceptions of local police performance, and perceived seriousness of local crime. One-third of the respondents were aware of neighborhood programs to reduce crime, but awareness was unrelated to perceptions of neighborhood safety or quality of life. Graphs, 11 references, and a description of the survey methodology.