NCJ Number
38327
Date Published
1976
Length
177 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT STATES THAT POLICE AGENCIES, FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST OF STANDARD, FACE-TO-FACE SURVEYS, CAN USE EQUALLY EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE SURVEYS TO MEASURE CRIME IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
Abstract
THE NEWLY TESTED TELEPHONE SURVEY TECHNIQUE, RANDOM DIGIT DIALING (RDD), 'HAS ALL THE USUAL BENEFITS OF TELEPHONE SURVEYING, WHILE APPARENTLY AVOIDING THE SAMPLING BIASES - PARTICULARLY THE EXCLUSION OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH UNLISTED TELEPHONE NUMBERS - THAT TRADITIONALLY HAVE PLAGUED TELEPHONE SURVEYS,' THE REPORT SAYS. AND, MOST IMPORTANT, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, RANDOM DIGIT DIALING APPEARS TO PROVIDE EQUAL RELIABILITY WITH PERSONAL INTERVIEW SURVEY TECHNIQUES AT ONLY A QUARTER OF THE COSTS. THE REPORT ALSO CONSTITUTES A HANDBOOK WITH STRAIGHTFORWARD DIRECTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATORS, PLANNERS, RESEARCHERS, OR SPONSORS OF THEIR WORK WHO MAY WISH TO REPLICATE THE USE OF RDD VICTIMIZATION SURVEY TECHNIQUES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. A FIELD COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO VICTIMIZATION SURVEYING TECHNIQUES PERFORMED IN CINCINNATI REVEALED THAT THE RDD VICTIMIZATION RATES FOR HOUSEHOLD CRIMES WERE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER IN EVERY CATEGORY THAN THE LEAA/ CENSUS SURVEY. (THE RATE FOR ALL HOUSEHOLD CRIMES WAS 39 PERCENT GREATER IN THE RDD SURVEY.) THE TWO SAMPLES WERE SHOWN TO HAVE BEEN REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SAME POPULATION. THE REPORT FURTHER REVEALS THAT ANSWERS TO FOUR OF FIVE QUESTIONS INVOLVING OPINIONS ABOUT CRIME TRENDS, NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND POLICE PERFORMANCE SHOWED NO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SAMPLES IN THE RDD AND LEAA/ CENSUS SURVEY. FROM THIS, THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT 'RDD AND THE MORE TRADITIONAL LEAA/CENSUS METHOD ARE EQUALLY GOOD FOR MEASURING PUBLIC OPINION DATA.' (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)