Perceptions of Crime Trends in Illinois

• NCJ Number: 188110
• Journal: Trends and Issues Update Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: December 1999 Pages: 1-4
• Author(s): Megan Buurma Alderden
• Date Published: December 1999
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper reports on three different Illinois polls administered in 1996, 1997, and 1999 to determine respondents' perceptions of crime in Illinois and in their community, as well as their satisfaction with police and the courts.

Abstract

In 1996, 800 respondents were surveyed; 1,251 were surveyed in 1997; and 605 were surveyed in 1999. Respondents in each survey were randomly selected and interviewed by telephone. Answers were weighted based on census information, which made it possible to make generalizations to all of Illinois. Results from these surveys suggest that fewer respondents in 1997 and 1999 perceived that crime in Illinois had increased when compared to 1996 respondents. In 1996, 60 percent of citizens surveyed said that crime in Illinois had increased within the past 3 years, and only 41 percent in 1997 and 1999 believed that crime had increased. Almost 35 percent of respondents in 1999 perceived that crime had increased in their communities, an 11-percent decrease from 1996. A similar decline was also present for perceived illegal drug use. Nearly 70 percent of respondents surveyed in 1999 said they believed juvenile crime had increased in Illinois within the past 3 years. In each survey, almost 80 percent of the respondents reported feeling "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the way the police were dealing with crime in their communities. Respondents rated the courts less favorably. In both 1996 and 1999, approximately 60 percent of respondents reported being "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the court system, and 35 percent reported that they were "dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied." Certain racial groups reported feeling less satisfied with both the police and the courts. The survey data continue to show that an increasing number of citizens do not believe that crime rates are decreasing, even though data indicate this is so. 2 figures, 1 table, and 7 references