NCJ Number
26027
Date Published
1975
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THIS REPRINTED ARTICLE REVIEWS THE RESULTS OF A FIVE-YEAR STUDY OF VICTIMIZATION AND CRIME PERCEPTION IN A SMALL, MIDWESTERN COMMUNITY OF 11,250, REFERRED TO AS 'LINCOLN.'
Abstract
STUDY DATA INCLUDED 1969 AND 1971 OFFICIAL STATISTICS ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY FROM REPORTING TO THE POLICE THROUGH COURT DISPOSITION; INFORMATION ON THE POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND PERSONNEL OF ALL LEVELS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN 1969 AND 1972; HOUSEHOLD AND BUSINESS VICTIMISATION STUDIES IN 1970 AND 1971; INFORMATION ON CITIZEN PERCEPTIONS OF ISSUES IN CRIME AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN 1971 AND 1972, AND A 1972 STUDY OF CITIZENS' COMPARATIVE PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN LINCOLN AND IN LARGER U.S. CITIES. THE OFFICIAL POLICE DATA CONSISTENTLY INDICATED THAT LINCOLN'S CRIME PROBLEM WAS LARGELY NON-INDEX AND PROPERTY IN NATURE, ALTHOUGH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF UNREPORTED CRIME (42 AND 44 PERCENT) WAS REVEALED IN THE VICTIMIZATION STUDY. CITIZEN PERCEPTIONS OF THE MAJOR CRIMES IN LINCOLN CAME CLOSE TO BEING ACCURATE ALTHOUGH THE RANK-ORDERING OF THE OFFENSES DID NOT MATCH OFFICIAL DATA. IN ADDITION, LINCOLNITES WERE STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS WHILE ADVOCATING A 'GET TOUGH/ LAW AND ORDER' RESPONSE TO COMBAT CRIME. THE HIGH RATES OF UNREPORTED VICTIMIZATIONS WAS ONE OF VERY FEW PERCEIVED SIMILARITIES IN CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE BETWEEN LINCOLN AND LARGER UNITED STATES CITIES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)