SURVEYING VICTIMS - A STUDY OF THE MEASUREMENT OF CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION, PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME, AND ATTITUDES TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• NCJ Number: 45098
• Author(s): R F SPARKS; H G GENN; J D DODD
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 286 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Cambridge
• Sale Source: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE USE OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS, THAT IS, THE APPLICATION OF THE SAMPLE SURVEY TECHNIQUE TO THE MEASUREMENT AND EXPLANATION OF CRIME, IS DISCUSSED.

Abstract

THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DISCOVER HOW WELL SOCIAL SURVEY TECHNIQUES WORK IN THE FIELD OF VICTIMIZATION, RATHER THAN TO OBTAIN SUBSTANTIVE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY OF A PARTICULAR ENGLISH POPULATION. THE VICTIM SURVEY METHOD IS RELATIVELY NEW -- IT WAS INTRODUCED ONLY 10 YEARS AGO, IN 1967 -- SO IT MUST UNDERGO EXTENSIVE TESTING BEFORE ITS RESULTS CAN BE ACCEPTED WITH CONFIDENCE. THE SURVEY WHICH WAS CONDUCTED TOOK PLACE IN LONDON, AFTER INITIAL TESTING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON A SMALL SAMPLE OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE, THE AREAS OF LONDON CHOSEN FOR THE SURVEY, AND THE SELECTION OF PERSONS TO BE GIVEN THE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE EXPLAINED. DATA ARE PRESENTED WHICH DESCRIBE THE COMPOSITION OF THE SAMPLES. SOURCES OF INACCURACY INVOLVED IN A RETROSPECTIVE SURVEY (E.G., RESPONDENTS FORGETTING THE INCIDENT OR REMEMBERING IT AS HAVING HAPPENED EARLIER OR LATER THAN IT ACTUALLY DID) AND METHODS FOR CORRECTING FOR SUCH DISCREPANCIES ARE DISCUSSED. THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY SHOWED HIGH RATES OF RECALL OF DETAILS OF THE CRIMES. THE DISTRIBUTION OF VICTIMIZATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES IN RELATION TO IT ARE EVALUATED. ATTITUTES OF VICTIMS TOWARD THE POLICE AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND HOW THEY FELT ABOUT CALLING THE POLICE ARE EXPLORED; ATTITUDES WERE FOUND TO DEPEND UPON SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIME, AREA OF RESIDENCE OF THE VICTIM, AND PAST EXPERIENCES WITH THE POLICE. METHODS OF ESTIMATING THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE CRIME PROBLEM AND DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN NUMBERS OF CRIMES COMMITTED AND REPORTED ARE ANALYZED. RESEARCH DIRECTED AT VICTIMS CAN REVEAL THE OCCURRENCE OF MANY UNREPORTED CRIMES AND CAN SHOW, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICE RECORDKEEPING PRACTICES. FINDINGS RELATING TO RESPONDENTS' DEFINITIONS OF AND ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR ARE REPORTED AND EXAMINED. THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE RESPONDENTS WITH REGARD TO THE AREA THEY LIVED IN AFTER HAVING BEEN THE VICTIM OF A CRIME -- HOW MUCH CRIME THEY THOUGHT WAS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHETHER THEY HAD ANY GREATER FEELINGS OF FEAR -- WERE DETERMINED. A SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH IS PRESENTED, AND METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED ARE DESCRIBED. THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS REPRODUCED IN AN APPENDIX, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED.