NCJ Number
157238
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This report presents findings from a survey of 1,350 British young people aged 12-15 regarding their experiences of victimization away from home, fear of crime, and contacts with and attitudes toward the police.
Abstract
Findings show that 12- to 15-year-olds experienced high levels of the types of incidents covered by the survey; one-third had been assaulted while away from home in the previous 6-8 months. Victimization levels of 12- to 15-year-olds were comparable to those of 16- to 19-year-olds, but were higher than those for older adults. Most of the incidents were not viewed as serious by victims, but in the previous 6-8 months, nearly one-fifth of youths had experienced an incident they deemed to be a crime. Approximately 40 percent of incidents were mentioned by youth to their parents, and approximately one-third of the incidents that occurred in or near school were reported to teachers; the police knew of approximately 12 percent of all incidents. Just under one-third of 12- to 15-year-olds said they had been searched, questioned, verbally lectured, or asked to move on by the police over the last 6-8 months. Eight percent had been searched by the police. Most respondents supported the need for a police force to maintain law and order; about 60 percent said the police did a "very" or "fairly good" job in their area, a lower percentage than among adults. Four in 10 youths felt "very unsafe" or "fairly unsafe" when out alone at night, and one-third or more said they worried about muggings, stranger assaults, and sexual pestering. 1 figure and 3 tables