NCJ Number
58207
Journal
Sociological Symposium Issue: 25 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (WINTER 1979) Pages: 119-137
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCES AND CRIME-RELATED ATTITUDES AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF A HONOLULU, HAWAII, SUBURB KNOWN FOR ITS STERN ANTICRIME ACTIVITIES ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE COMMUNITY IN QUESTION HAS PRODUCED SEVERAL ANTICRIME SPOKESPERSONS AND HAS A REPUTATION FOR FORMING CITIZENS' GROUPS TO COMBAT CRIME. IN 1977, 101 HOUSEHOLDS IN 1 OF 3 POLICE BEATS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE SURVEYED. IT WAS FOUND THAT ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION IN THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT UNUSUALLY HIGH, AND THAT THE KIND OF VIOLENT CRIME ABOUT WHICH RESIDENTS WERE OVERTLY CONCERNED WAS VIRTUALLY ABSENT. PROPERTY VICTIMIZATION WAS FAIRLY EVENLY DISTRIBUTED IN THE COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH AFFLUENT RESIDENTS WERE SOMEWHAT MORE LIKELY THAN THE POOR TO BE VICTIMIZED (IN CONTRAST TO THE FINDINGS OF PREVIOUS STUDIES). THERE WAS A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE SERIOUSNESS OF A CRIME AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT IT WOULD BE REPORTED. DESPITE THE FACT THAT HONOLULU'S POLICE FORCE IS PREDOMINANTLY NONWHITE, NONWHITES REPORTED CRIME LESS FREQUENTLY THAN DID WHITES. RESPONDENTS WHO HAD REPORTED CRIMES HAD MORE FAVORABLE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE THAN THOSE WHO HADN'T. CONTACT WITH POLICE WAS POSITIVE FOR MOST PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH THE RELATIVELY FEW WHOSE VICTIMIZATION LED TO FURTHER CONTACT WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES REPORTED ESSENTIALLY NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES (LONG DELAYS, CANCELLING OF COURT APPEARANCES, ETC.). THERE WAS LITTLE CORRELATION BETWEEN DIRECT VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCE AND ATTITUDES TOWARD PUNISHMENT OR INTERPRETATIONS OF PERSONAL CRIME RISK. THE COMMUNITY'S COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO CRIME DOES NOT SEEM TO REFLECT INDIVIDUALS' PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH CRIME. ANTICRIME MEASURES BY THE COMMUNITY MAY BE A MEANS OF DRAMATIZING SOCIAL PROBLEMS OR PERSONAL FRUSTRATIONS FOR WHICH CRIME IS A SYMBOL. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)