CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION IN THE U S - A COMPARISON OF 1976 AND 1977 FINDINGS, ADVANCE REPORT

• NCJ Number: 52983
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 3 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Criminal Justice Information & Statistics Service
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Commerce
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Annual/Periodic)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ASSAULT WAS THE ONLY MAJOR CRIME MEASURED BY THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY TO SHOW A DEFINITE CHANGE IN THE RATE OF VICTIMIZATION FOR 1977, INCREASING BY 6 PERCENT OVER THE 1976 FIGURE.

Abstract

THIS INCREASE WAS CONCENTRATED IN THE SUBCATEGORY OF SIMPLE ASSAULT, WHICH ROSE 9 PERCENT, WHEREAS THERE WAS NO MEASURABLE CHANGE IN THE VICTIMIZATION RATE FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. THE RISE BETWEEN 1976 AND 1977 IN THE INCIDENCE OF ASSAULT WAS ATTENDED BY A RELATIVELY SHARP DROP (8 PERCENT) IN THE RATE AT WHICH THESE OFFENSES WERE REPORTED TO THE POLICE. WHETHER COMMITTED BY PERSONS WHO WERE STRANGERS OR NONSTRANGERS TO THEIR VICTIMS, ASSAULTS WERE BROUGHT TO POLICE ATTENTION AT LOWER RATES DURING 1977 THAN A YEAR EARLIER. THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY HAS NOW COLLECTED DATA FOR 5 FULL YEARS, BEGINNING IN 1973, SO THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO EXAMINE TRENDS EXTENDING BEYOND CHANGE FROM 1 YEAR TO THE NEXT. OVER THE ENTIRE PERIOD, FROM 1973 TO 1977, ALL OF THE MAJOR CRIMES EXCEPT RAPE AND ROBBERY EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANT CHANGE AT LEAST AT THE 90 PERCENT CONFIDENCE LEVEL. DEFINITE INCREASES WERE RECORDED IN THE INCIDENCE OF ASSAULT (8 PERCENT), PERSONAL LARCENY WITHOUT CONTACT (8 PERCENT), AND HOUSEHOLD LARCENY (15 PERCENT), WHEREAS MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT DECLINED 11 PERCENT. THERE WAS TENTATIVE DECLINE DURING 1973-1977 IN THE VICTIMIZATION RATE FOR RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)