CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES - A REPORT ON THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY (FROM SAMPLE SURVEYS OF THE VICTIMS OF CRIME, 1976, BY WESLEY G SKOGAN - SEE NCJ 38961)

• NCJ Number: 46903
• Author(s): R W DODGE; H R LENTZNER; F SHENK
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 26 pages
• Corporate Author: Ballinger Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN EXAMINATION OF THE METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS OF THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY (NCS) IS UNDERTAKEN.

Abstract

THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY (NCS) DATA ARE DERIVED FROM A STRATIFIED MULTISTAGE CLUSTER SAMPLE OF 75,000 HOUSING UNITS LOCATED IN ALL 50 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. EACH HOUSEHOLD IS INTERVIEWED INITIALLY TO ESTABLISH A TIME FRAME FOR THE TELESCOPING OF EVENTS IN THE REFERENCE PERIOD, AND IS THEN REINTERVIEWED EVERY 6 MONTHS OVER A 3-YEAR PERIOD. THE SAMPLE ALSO INCORPORATES A ROTATION FEATURE SO THAT ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS ENTER THE SAMPLE TO REPLACE THOSE WHICH ARE PHASED OUT AFTER SEVEN INTERVIEWS. THE NCS MEASURES CRIMES THAT GENERALLY CORRESPOND TO THE PART I INDEX CRIMES INCLUDED IN THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION'S UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS; RAPE, ROBBERY, ASSAULT AND PERSONAL LARCENY, BURGLARY, HOUSEHOLD LARCERNY AND AUTO THEFT, AND BURGLARY AND ROBBERY OF COMMERCIAL AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. ATTEMPTS TO COMMIT THESE CRIMES ARE ALSO COUNTED. THE NCS UNCOVERED NEARLY 37 MILLION VICTIMIZATIONS THAT REPORTEDLY OCCURRED IN 1973. A CHART PROVIDING A BREAKDOWN OF VICTIMIZATION PERCENTAGE RATES IS PRESENTED. THEFTS OR ATTEMPTED THEFTS INVOLVING NO CONFRONTATION BETWEEN VICTIM AND OFFENDER ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 84 PERCENT OF THE REPORTED VICTIMIZATIONS. PERSONAL LARCENY WITH NO CONTACT WAS THE MOST COMMON CRIME, ACCOUNTING FOR 39 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL. THE THREE CRIMES USUALLY OF MOST CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC -- RAPE, PERSONAL ROBBERY, AND BURGLARY OF HOMES -- CONSTITUTED ABOUT 21 PERCENT OF THE REPORTED VICTIMIZATIONS, OR ABOUT 7.7 MILLION CRIMINAL ACTS. THE LESS SERIOUS FORM OF EACH PERSONAL CRIME WAS THE MOST PREVALENT; ABOUT 71 PERCENT OF ALL RAPES WERE CLASSIFIED AS ATTEMPTED; NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF ALL ROBBERIES INVOLVED NO INJURY TO THE VICTIM; AND 60 PERCENT OF THE ASSAULTS WERE SIMPLE RATHER THAN AGGRAVATED. CRIMES AGAINIST PERSONS AND HOUSEHOLDS ARE DISCUSSED. RESIDENTIAL PATTERNS OF VICTIMIZATION ARE EXAMINED. THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND OUTCOMES OF VICTIMIZATIONS PERPETRATED WITH THE AID OF WEAPONS ARE REVIEWED, AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OFFENDERS ARE OVERVIEWED. THE CONSEQUENCES OF VICTIMIZATION -- PERSONAL INJURY AND ECONOMIC LOSS -AND STATISTICS ON UNREPORTED CRIME ARE DISCUSSED. TABULAR DATA ARE SUPPLIED, AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)