NCJ Number
64432
Journal
Kriminologisches Journal Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: (1979) Pages: 165-191
Date Published
1979
Length
27 pages
Annotation
ATTITUDES TOWARDS LIFE, CRIME, AND VANDALISM IN A PROBLEM NEIGHBORHOOD ARE ANALYZED ON THE BASIS OF INTERVIEWS WITH 182 INHABITANTS OF MERSEYSIDE, ENGLAND, BETWEEN 1972 AND 1973.
Abstract
RESULTS INDICATE THAT MOST INHABITANTS CONSIDER THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ACCEPTABLE EVEN THOUGH IT IS DOWNGRADED IN MEDIA REPORTS. OF THE INTERVIEWEES, 42 PERCENT HAVE BEEN VICITMS OF THEFT, 27 PERCENT HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF BURGLARY, 11 PERCENT HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF ASSAULT, 6 PERCENT KNOW OF CASES OF CHILD MOLESTATION, 50 PERCENT HAVE EXPERIENCED PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND 50 PERCENT HAVE BEEN DISTURBED BY ROWDY BEHAVIOR. ONLY 24 PERCENT OF THE INHABITANTS ARE VERY FRIGHTENED BY CRIME POTENTIAL, ALTHOUGH MANY EXPRESS SOME FEAR, AND 77 PERCENT HAVE NO FEAR OF GOING OUT. CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS ATTRIBUTED TO PARENTAL SHORTCOMINGS, BOREDOM, UNEMPLOYMENT, OR LACK OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES; TEENAGERS AND CHILDREN ARE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST CRIMES. SPANKINGS AND ORGANIZATION OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES ARE THE MOST COMMONLY ADVOCATED CONTROL MEASURES. OF THE INHABITANTS, 51 PERCENT HAVE SPOKEN TO THE POLICE IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITY WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. OF THESE, 70 PERCENT CONSIDER THE POLICE FRIENDS, AND 65 PERCENT REGARD THE POLICE TO BE FAIR, INDICATING A SURPRISING DEGREE OF FAITH IN THE POLICE. IN CONTRAST, ONLY 18 PERCENT OF THE INTERVIEWEES CONSIDER COURTS FAIR; 32 PERCENT THINK COURTS TOO LENIENT, SUGGESTING THAT THE POPULACE OF THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD DESIRES MORE PROTECTION OF ITS RIGHTS. THE STUDY DOES NOT SUPPORT THE LABELING THEORY AND THE ACTUAL CRIME RATE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS LESS THAN MIGHT BE EXPECTED. NEITHER CONFLICT THEORY NOR THE SUBCULTURE THEORY ARE CONFIRMED BY THE FINDINGS, BUT DURKHEIM'S CONSCIENCE COLLECTIVE WOULD APPEAR TO REPRESENT A STRONG FORCE EVEN IN SUCH NEGLECTED INNER-CITY NEIGHBORHOODS. SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS OF PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS HAS PRIORITY OVER REDUCTION OF CRIME PER SE, AND SUCH PROBLEMS CAN ONLY BE SOLVED BY POWERFUL OUTSIDE FIGURES. MORE STUDY BY SOCIOLOGISTS OF FORCEFUL SOCIAL MOVERS IS PROPOSED. EXTENSIVE NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)