NCJ Number
67830
Date Published
1979
Length
251 pages
Annotation
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO THE CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION OF A RURAL POPULATION IN TERMS OF THE INCIDENCE AND CONSEQUENCES OF RURAL CRIME IN TEXAS.
Abstract
THE SURVEY SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 2,998 RURAL TEXANS, DRAWN THROUGH A STRATIFIED SAMPLING PROCESS FROM THE DRIVER'S LICENSE FILE MAINTAINED BY THE TEXANS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. A FOUR-PART RURAL TEXAS CRIME SURVEY INSTRUMENT WAS USED TO ELICIT RESPONSES CONCERNING CRIME EVENTS DURING THE PAST YEAR, PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME, CURRENT ISSUES, AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS. A MULTISTAGE FOLLOWUP PROCEDURE PRODUCED A 75.7 PERCENT RETURN RATE. SELECTED ECOLOGICAL, SITUATIONAL, AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES WERE ASSESSED FOR THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VICTIMIZATION OF RURAL RESIDENTS AND CRIME REPORTING. FURTHERMORE, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VICTIM CRIME PRECIPITATION AND VICTIM REPORTING WAS ASSESSED. FINALLY, STEPWISE REGRESSION WAS USED TO IDENTIFY A NUMBER OF VARIABLES WHICH CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE VARIANCE OF WHETHER A VICTIM REPORTED THE CRIME. TWO SIGNIFICANT DETERMINANTS OF THE VICTIM'S DECISION TO REPORT THE CRIME WERE THE VICTIM'S PERCEPTION OF THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT'S EFFECTIVENESS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF RECOUPING MONETARY LOSSES IN TERMS OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. IN GENERAL, THE STUDY FAILED TO IDENTIFY ANY FACTOR WHICH ADEQUATELY ACCOUNTED FOR THE VICTIMIZATION OF RURAL RESIDENTS OF TEXAS. THE REPORT CONTAINS 29 TABLES, 1 FIGURE, A REFERENCES, OF ABOUT 120 REFERENCES. AN ENGLISH-SPANISH QUESTIONNAIRE. QUESTIONNAIRE, SURVEY SAMPLING FRAME, ENGLISH-SPANISH SURVEY PACKAGE, AND A FOLLOW-UP POSTCARD. (AUTHOR ABSTRSACT MODIFIED) ABI LGR