NCJ Number
61955
Date Published
1979
Length
98 pages
Annotation
PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH ON INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME AND ON INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE BEHAVIORAL REACTIONS TO CRIME ARE REVIEWED IN THIS ESSAY, WHICH IS PART OF A SERIES OF REPORTS.
Abstract
THE ESSAY SEEKS TO ACCOMPLISH SEVERAL INTERRELATED TASKS, INCLUDING DESCRIBING A SET OF ISSUES AND RELEVANT LITERATURE IN THE FIELD OF INQUIRY CALLED 'REACTIONS TO CRIME.' STUDIES ARE REVIEWED AND ANALYZED, AND RESEARCH STRATEGIES ARE SUGGESTED FOR FURTHER WORK. PRELIMINARY DATA INDICATE THAT VICTIMIZATION, EVEN WHEN INVOLVING CONTACT AND VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE OFFENDER AND THE VICTIM, HAS RELATIVELY LITTLE ASSOCIATION WITH CRIME PERCEPTION. HOWEVER, THE METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS ARE SUBSTANTIAL, AND SURVEYS MORE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO EXPLORE THE VICTIM AND OFFENDER RELATIONSHIP ARE REQUIRED. THERE IS VERY LITTLE AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON HOW INDIVIDUALS OBTAIN AND INTERPRET KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CRIME. ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE RELY ON VICARIOUS SOURCES OF INFORMATION SUCH AS THE MEDIA. THE MOST CONSISTENTLY REPORTED FINDING HOLDS THAT PEOPLE TEND TO BELIEVE THAT CRIME IS LESS OF A PROBLEM IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS THEN IT IS IN OTHER AREAS. RESEARCH ON BEHAVIORAL REACTIONS IS VERY FRAGMENTED; FUTURE STUDIES SHOULD CONSIDER THE RANGE OF OPTIONS WITHIN WHICH INDIVIDUALS OPERATE. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT BEHAVIOR IS LESS AFFECTED BY CRIME PERCEPTIONS THAN IS OFTEN THOUGHT. CRIME RISKS ARE MINOR CONSIDERATIONS IN DETERMINING TRANSPORTATION USAGE, HOME RELOCATION, AND RECREATIONAL PATTERNS. FEW STUDIES CONSIDER THE COLLECTIVE ACTIONS OF CITIZENS IN CRIME CONTROL. TABULAR DATA ACCOMPANY THE TEXT, AND THERE IS AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY. SEE ALSO NCJ-61954 FOR AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THIS REPORT.