NCJ Number
147916
Journal
Criminology Volume: 32 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1994) Pages: 135-148
Date Published
1994
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Literature from developed countries hypothesizes that crime reporting practices vary by level of incident- specific, victim-specific, and environment-specific correlates.
Abstract
To date, these correlates have not been used to investigate crime reporting behavior in developing countries, nor have they been explored simultaneously. The current research effort attempted to fill this void by analyzing data from a household victimization survey conducted in Belize. Data were collected from a random sample of approximately 5 percent of the households in Belize City. A crime reporting model based on research findings from developed nations, especially the United States, was tested. Contrary to prediction, findings from the Belize sample were generally similar to those reported in developed countries. Incident-specific correlates played a significant role, individual-specific correlates played a minor role, and environment-specific correlates played no role in inducing citizens to report crime to the police. Factors that affected crime reporting in Belize did not appear to be conditioned by the particular social structure of policing in that country. 28 references, 13 footnotes, and 2 tables