VICTIMIZATION, FEAR OF CRIME AND ALTERED BEHAVIOR - A PROFILE OF THE CRIME PROBLEM IN WILLIAM NICKERSON JR GARDENS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

• NCJ Number: 45104
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 59 pages
• Contract Number(s): H-2249
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Housing and Urban Development
• Corporate Author: William Brill Associates, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; US Dept of Housing and Urban Development
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FINDINGS OF A HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ADMINISTERED TO A SAMPLE OF RESIDENTS OF NICKERSON GARDENS, A PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ARE PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE SURVEY QUESTIONED 184 HOUSEHOLDS REGARDING THEIR MEMBERS' CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCE DURING 1976. RESIDENTS WERE ALSO QUESTIONED CONCERNING THEIR FEAR OF CRIME AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY WERE ALTERING THEIR BEHAVIOR AS A RESULT OF THEIR CONCERN ABOUT CRIME. THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED AS A FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY PLAN FOR NICKERSON GARDENS. THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY PROVIDE BASELINE INDICATORS AGAINST WHICH TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THE PLAN. THE FINDINGS ALSO ASSIST IN THE PREPARATION OF THE PLAN BECAUSE THEY INDICATE PLANNING INFORMATION SUCH AS WHERE CRIME IS TAKING PLACE AND WHAT AREAS ON THE SITE ARE VIEWED WITH GREATEST FEAR BY THE RESIDENTS. A VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS IS PRESENTED WHICH REPRESENTS A RESEARCH AND PLANNING METHODOLOGY THAT IDENTIFIES THE VULNERABILITY OF HOUSING ENVIRONMENTS TO CRIME. THE EXPERIENCE OF CRIME IS EXTREMELY WIDESPREAD IN NICKERSON GARDENS. OVER HALF OF THE HOUSEHOLDS SURVEYED REPORTED HAVING BEEN VICTIMIZED DURING 1976. OF THESE, NEARLY 6 IN 10 HAD BEEN VICTIMIZED MORE THAN ONCE. THE SURVEY FINDINGS REVEAL RATES OF INCIDENCE OF CRIME IN ALL CATEGORIES THAT ARE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THOSE FOR THE NATION AS A WHOLE OR FOR SIMILAR INCOME GROUPS NATIONALLY. RESIDENTS OF NICKERSON GARDENS EXPERIENCED NEARLY SEVEN TIMES THE INCIDENCE OF ROBBERY THAT LOW-INCOME PERSONS NATIONALLY EXPERIENCED. RESIDENTS WHO HAD RECENTLY MOVED INTO THE PROJECT EXPERIENCED MORE CRIME THAN LONGER-TERM RESIDENTS. THOSE WHO HAD LIVED IN THE PROJECT LESS THAN 1 YEAR EXPERIENCED PURSE SNATCHING NEARLY 4 TIMES AS OFTEN AS THOSE WHO HAD LIVED IN THE PROJECT MORE THAN 1 YEAR. THE SURVEY ALSO REVEALED VERY HIGH LEVELS OF FEAR IN NICKERSON GARDENS. OVER 80 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS FELT THE CHANCES OF BEING ROBBED IN THE PROJECT WERE FIFTY-FIFTY OR BETTER, WHILE THE ACTUAL CHANCES OF SOMEONE BEING ROBBED ARE A LITTLE MORE THAN 6 IN 100. RESPONDENTS CITED AS DANGEROUS THOSE AREAS WHERE GROUPS 'HANG OUT,' SUCH AS NEAR LIQUOR STORES ON THE PROJECT'S PERIMETER. THE SURVEY ALSO SHOWED THAT RESIDENTS CONSTRAINED THEIR USES OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF THEIR CONCERN ABOUT CRIME. MANY RESIDENTS ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT CRIME THAT THEY HAVE PURCHASED MEANS OF SELF-PROTECTION. COMPARISONS WITH OTHER PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS ARE ALSO INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).