NCJ Number
161644
Date Published
1990
Length
485 pages
Annotation
This volume contains the codebook used to collect data on personal and household crime victimization as part of the National Crime Survey (NCS).
Abstract
The NCS collects data on personal and household victimization through an ongoing national survey of residential addresses. The codebook documents the NCS household survey which has been conducted continuously since 1972. The NCS consists of a sample of addresses in the United States in which Bureau of Census interviewers conduct interviews with current residents of the sample unit. All persons 12 years of age and older are interviewed, usually in person or by telephone. Each respondent is asked a series of screen questions to determine if he or she was victimized during the 6-month period preceding the first day of the month of interview. An individual incident report is completed for each crime mentioned in response to screen questions. The incident report is designed to obtain detailed data on characteristics and circumstances of the victimization. Three basic forms are used to collect NCS data: Control Card, Basic Screen Questionnaires, and Crime Incident Reports. Changes made to the NCS design over time and data collection techniques are described. Additional NCS information and forms are appended.