Factors Related to Anti-Crime Involvement in Personal, Household, and Neighborhood Anti-crime Measures - An Executive Summary

• NCJ Number: 81056
• Author(s): P J Lavrakas; J Normoyle; W G Skogan; E J Herz; G Salem; D A Lewis
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): 78-NI-AX-0111
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Northwestern University
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report summarizes the research undertaken to investigate the scope of citizen anticrime measures and motivational factors associated with these preventive responses.

Abstract

Following the development of a preliminary conceptual framework to guide the research, data were gathered through literature reviews, secondary analyses of four criminal justice survey data sets collected in the 1970's, and two telephone surveys of residents in Chicago and Evanston, Ill. In addition a random telephone survey was conducted of 1,803 residents of the metropolitan Chicago area, interviews were held with leaders of community organizations in 3 cities, and responses to a mail survey were collected from 167 local law enforcement agencies. Findings indicate that behavioral restrictions appeared to be the most prevalent measure citizens take to prevent personal victimization. Measures against unlawful entry were the most typical prevention measures for home protection, and a distinct set of anticrime efforts were undertaken by citizens to protect their neighborhood or community. The primary incentives for employing household-based protective measures were individual ones (i.e., to protect one's property from loss and to protect the sanctity of the home). Moreover, territorial measures involving groups of neighbors in anticrime activity appear to stem from the workings of ongoing community organizations and not from spontaneous or informal voluntary action. Overall, the research supports the view that there are individual motives (i.e., risk-avoidance) that lead some citizens to become involved in crime prevention measures and that there are collective or public-minded motives (i.e., social participation) that lead to citizen involvement. Results suggest that police and community organizations can play major roles in improving the quantity and quality of citizen crime prevention. A few footnotes and a diagram of the revised model of citizen involvement in crime prevention are included. See NCJ 81057 for full report.