Victim Survey in the Swiss Canton Uri in 1984 (From Victims and Criminal Justice, P 419-440, 1991, Gunther Kaiser, Helmut Kury, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-132477)

• NCJ Number: 132493
• Author(s): H Stadler-Griesemer
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 22 pages
• Sale Source: Max-Planck-Institute Fur Auslandisches und Internationales Strafrecht
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: Germany (Unified)

Annotation

This paper reviews the design and the results of a 1984 victimization survey of the Swiss Canton Uri, a rural area with a fairly high degree of industrialization.

Abstract

The paper's introduction describes Canton Uri as a sample area, followed by a description of the aims of the victim survey. The latter are the investigation of the actual frequency of offenses, a comparison between survey data and police statistics, an analysis of the motivation of those who do not report their victimizations, determination of the fear of victimization, and the attitudes of the public toward criminal justice issues. The introduction also discusses victim surveys in Switzerland. Following a description of the survey method used in Canton Uri, survey results are presented. A comparison of the survey results and police crime statistics focuses on the "dark figure" of crime (crimes not revealed in police statistics), victims and the frequency of victimization, victims' willingness to report crimes to police, and a comparison of the Uri survey with other similar surveys. Other survey results discussed address respondent attitudes toward capital punishment and the functions of prisons, the fear of victimization, attitudes toward penal administration, and the behavior of those who do not report a crime. Overall, the survey reveals a remarkably high incidence of crime, far beyond that which would be expected based on the area's demographic characteristics. Implications of the findings are discussed. 4 tables and 28 references