NCJ Number
87368
Journal
Indian Journal of Criminology Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1983) Pages: 50-58
Date Published
1983
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study of the psychosocial influences affecting the adult next-of-kin of murder victims in India shows many to have economic hardship, social instability in the family, and fear of further violence from the offender or the offender's cohorts.
Abstract
Of the 115 murder cases in Bangalore during fiscal 1978-80, 57 adult next-of-kin of victims were interviewed for this study, and of the 173 murders in Delhi in fiscal 1979-80, 86 adult next-of-kin of victims were interviewed. In Bangalore, 54 percent of the subjects were women, while only 44 percent were women in the Delhi group. Respondents averaged 40 years old. Of the 57 Bangalore respondents, 32 percent were housewives, 23 percent engaged in business, and 23 percent wage earners. In the Delhi group, 28 percent were involved in government service, and only 11 percent were housewives. Dependents such as housewives and students were having economic problems while respondents with occupational incomes did not appear to be significantly worse off financially than before the murder. A significant number of the respondents had fear of being attacked by the offender upon his/her release or by the offender's cohorts. About 40 percent of the Bangalore respondents and 49 percent of those in Delhi were dissatisfied with police response both to the murder and subsequent calls for assistance. Of 35 Bangalore responses, 43 percent felt that the offender should be executed, although 23 percent had no strong feelings about the offender even being punished. Seventy-five percent of 12 respondents in Delhi wanted the offender executed, and 25 percent wanted the offender imprisoned. Tabular data are provided.