NCJ Number
36786
Date Published
Unknown
Length
25 pages
Annotation
THE STUDY REPORTED EXPLORED THE INTERACTION BETWEEN VICTIMIZATION AND POLICE RESPONSE AND EXAMINED THE TYPES OF POLICE ACTIONS POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH CITIZEN'S PERCEPTIONS OF A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE.
Abstract
DATA WAS COLLECTED DURING 1972 IN A STUDY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES IN 44 RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI METROPOLITAN AREA. ALTHOUGH THE SIMPLE RELATIONSHIPS WERE QUITE WEAK, ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE POLICE RESPONSE TO A REPORTED VICTIMIZATION ACTS TO MASK A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP. IN CASES WHERE THE POLICE RESPONSE SATISFIED CITIZENS, EVALUATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS WERE UNRELATED TO THE VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCE. CITIZENS WHO WERE UNSATISFIED WITH THE POLICE RESPONSE WERE, ON THE OTHER HAND, MUCH MORE LIKELY TO EVALUATE LOCAL POLICE UNFAVORABLY. THE POLICE RESPONSE TO A REPORTED VICTIMIZATION - BOTH THE SPEED OF RESPONSE WHEN CALLED AND THE ACTIONS TAKEN AFTER ARRIVAL - WAS FOUND TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY RELATED TO CITIZEN SATISFACTION, WITH INDICATIONS THAT FAVORABLE ACTIONS TAKEN AFTER ARRIVAL MAY OVERCOME ILL FEELINGS CAUSED BY A LONGER RESPONSE TIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)