Experiences of Crime Across the World: Key Findings of the 1989 International Crime Survey

• NCJ Number: 125908
• Author(s): J J M van Dijk; P Mayhew; M Killias
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 207 pages
• Sale Source: Kluwer Law and Taxation Publishers
• Publication Type: Survey (Cross-Cultural)
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands

Annotation

A victimization survey conducted in 14 countries in 1989 gathered information about crime levels, differences between survey data and offenses reported by the police, the types of people most at risk of victimization, and responses to crime.

Abstract

The full survey took place in Australia, Belgium, Canada, England and Wales, Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. In addition, local surveys using the same questionnaire were conducted in Poland, Indonesia, and Japan. Most countries gathered data from about 2,000 telephone interviews. The analysis weighted the data to make the samples representative of populations aged 16 and over. It focused on vehicle thefts, vandalism against vehicles, burglary, robbery, other property offenses, sex offenses, assaults, circumstances of victimization, and victim support. Findings showed that the United States had the highest victimization rate (28.8 percent) and Northern Ireland had the lowest (15.0 percent). For most types of crime, young people were at greater risk than elderly persons. Survey results and police statistics were most closely matched for property offenses and showed poor matching for robbery, assault, and sex offenses. Tables, figures, footnotes, methodological appendixes, appended data tables, and 60 references.