NCJ Number
68102
Date Published
1980
Length
41 pages
Annotation
VICTIMIZATION DATA WERE GATHERED IN ORDER TO MEASURE THE ACTUAL VOLUME OF PERSONAL AND HOUSEHOLD PROPERTY CRIMES IN NEBRASKA FOR 1978.
Abstract
THE SAMPLE INCLUDED 1,882 ADULTS IN HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE STATE WHO WERE SURVEYED IN AN OMNIBUS QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. VICTIMS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, PEOPLE LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS AND COLLEGES, AND TRANSIENTS WERE NOT INCLUDED, AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING PROPERTY CRIMES WERE LIMITED TO THOSE AGAINST HOUSEHOLDS. CRIMES COMMITTED WITHIN THE 12 PRECEDING MONTHS WERE REPORTED IN ANSWERS TO 11 QUESTIONS. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT 23.3 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE VICTIMS OF AN OFFENSE, WHICH WAS A 1.8 PERCENT DECREASE FROM 1977. VANDALISM COMPRISED 35.9 PERCENT OF THE 557 OFFENSES, AND 31.1 PERCENT INVOLVED LARCENY-THEFT. OTHER CRIMES INCLUDED FRAUD (14.7 PERCENT), BURGLARY (10.6 PERCENT), ASSAULT (4.3 PERCENT), ARSON (1.1 PERCENT), SEXUAL ASSAULT (1.1 PERCENT), ROBBERY (0.7 PERCENT), AND MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT (0.5 PERCENT). ONLY 48.9 PERCENT OF THE OFFENSES WERE REPORTED TO THE POLICE, AND AMONG THESE, BURGLARY, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, AND ARSON WERE THE MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED (OVER 66 PERCENT); AND FRAUD WAS THE LEAST REPORTED (5 PERCENT). ABOUT FOUR PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE VICTIMIZED MORE THAN ONCE, AND YOUNG AND URBAN RESPONDENTSWERE THE MOST LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF CRIME. FURTHERMORE, 84 PERCENT OF ALL RESPONDENTS CONSIDERED THEIR COMMUNITIES AS SAFE OR SAFER FROM CRIME THAN 2 YEARS PREVIOUSLY. COMPARISONS WITH NATIONAL CRIME SURVEYS DEMONSTRATE THAT NEBRASKA OFFENSE RATES ARE GENERALLY LOWER. FOOTNOTES, CHARTS, AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE 1978 SURVEY, SEE NCJRS NUMBER 68101.