NCJ Number
131236
Journal
Kriminalist Volume: 22 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1990) Pages: 404-408
Date Published
1990
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The article summarizes a 1987 survey exploring what circumstances lead victims to report a crime to the police.
Abstract
The 374 adult subjects of Heidelberg filled out standardized questionnaires, asking (1) if they had within the last 2 to 10 years become victims of theft, violent assault, sexual offenses, or robbery and (2) what the circumstances surrounding the crime had been. Of those who responded, 160 had actually been victimized. The statistical analysis of the results indicated that significant theft and robbery of private property were frequently reported because the insurances require it. Women who were sexually assaulted in public places were more likely to report the assault than those who were assaulted at home, perhaps because fear, shame, and acquaintance with the offender prompted their silence in a private place. Also sexual assault victims who had suffered injuries requiring medical attention were more likely to report the crime. For violent assaults, victims tended to involve the police if the offender carried a weapon, perhaps because they considered the attack a more significant threat. Short bibliography and statistical charts included