NCJ Number
177823
Date Published
1998
Length
160 pages
Annotation
Victimization in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America was examined in 1996-97 using information collected by means of the International Crime Victim Survey; findings were also compared with those from 11 industrialized countries and 20 countries in transition.
Abstract
The Asian developing countries consistently had the lowest rates for all types of crime, while Africa and Latin America had the highest. All regions appeared mostly affected by theft, while victimization rates for other types of crime were much lower. Victims in different countries varied markedly in their rankings of the seriousness of different types of crime. The vast majority of victims perceived their victimization as very serious or fairly serious. However, only a small proportion of crimes were reported to the police; often they were not those perceived by the victims as the most serious. Victims often regarded the small loss as not worth the burden of going to the police station, completing forms, and answering questions that were sometimes perceived as embarrassing. Fewer than half the participants were satisfied with police effectiveness in controlling crime. The most popular crime prevention measure was asking neighbors to look after the house in case of absence. Findings revealed that the levels and effects of victimization are more pronounced in the developing countries than in the rest of the world. Findings also revealed the broad range of victimization experienced by women and indicated that traumatic female victimization from sexual assault and domestic assault requires more attention, information, analysis, and policy consideration. Figures, tables, footnotes, list of other publications from the same organization, and 35 references