Psychological Consequences of Crime: Findings From a Longitudinal Population-based Study (From Victims of Crime, P 146-166, 1997, Robert C. Davis, Arthur J. Lurigio, et al, eds. - See NCJ-167360)

• NCJ Number: 167368
• Author(s): F H Norris; K Kaniasty; M P Thompson
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 21 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01-MH41579
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A longitudinal study entitled "Violence: Psychological Reactions and Consequences" focused on the psychological impacts of crime and violence, with emphasis on the factors that influence those effects.

Abstract

The research used a multistage procedure that started with a random sample of 12,226 households in Kentucky in 1988 and analyzed data from 171 victims of violent crime, 338 victims of property crimes, and 298 nonvictims. Three interviews were conducted at 6-month intervals. Findings revealed recurrent themes, particularly the pervasiveness of effects such as depression, anxiety, hostility, somatic symptoms, fear of crime, avoidance behavior, lower self-esteem, increased alienation, and need for both formal and informal social support. Men and women, urban and rural persons, and cautious and careless persons were all equally likely to experience adverse effects. The breadth of crime's effects was especially well demonstrated by crime's impacts on beliefs and attributions. Three other themes were persistence, recurrence, and responsiveness. Findings indicated that crime changes people in fundamental ways that do not permit quick and easy solutions and that solutions to the crime problem are needed at the population level. Figures, tables, and 99 references