NCJ Number
13899
Date Published
1974
Length
46 pages
Annotation
HIGHLIGHTS OF SURVEY DATA GATHERED AS PART OF THE NATIONAL CRIME PANEL, A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING LEVELS OF CRIME BOTH NATIONWIDE AND IN SELECTED CITIES.
Abstract
ABOUT 1.1 MILLION CRIMINAL ACTS OF VIOLENCE AND COMMON THEFT, INCLUDING ATTEMPTS, TOOK PLACE IN ATLANTA, BALTIMORE, CLEVELAND, DALLAS, DENVER, NEWARK, PORTLAND, AND ST. LOUIS DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE SURVEYS HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS ADVANCE REPORT. THE SURVEYS, CONDUCTED FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, WERE A PART OF THE NATIONAL CRIME PANEL, A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING LEVELS OF CRIME BOTH NATIONWIDE AND IN SELECTED LARGE CITIES. THE PANEL, RELYING ON SCIENTIFIC SAMPLING PROCEDURES, GAUGES THE EXTENT TO WHICH INDIVIDUALS AGE 12 AND OVER, HOUSEHOLDS, AND COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY SELECTED CRIME. IT EXAMINES THE CHARACTERISTICS OF VICTIMS AND EXPLORES SUCH FACETS OF VICTIMIZATION AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VICTIM AND OFFENDER, THE TIME AND PLACE OF OCCURRENCE, THE INJURY OR LOSS SUFFERED, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE EVENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THIS LAST FACTOR IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN RATES OF VICTIMIZATION HIGHER THAN THOSE PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED. THE SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED FROM JULY THROUGH NOVEMBER 1972 AND INCLUDED AN AVERAGE SAMPLE OF 9,700 HOUSEHOLDS IN EACH CITY AND APPROXIMATELY 2,000 COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. THE CRIMES SELECTED FOR MEASUREMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS INCLUDED RAPE, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, AND PERSONAL LARCENY, FOR HOUSEHOLDS, BURGLARY, LARCENY, AND AUTO THEFT, AND FOR COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, BURGLARY AND ROBBERY. STATISTICAL TABLES PRESENT THE ABOVE MEASUREMENTS IN DETAIL. MORE COMPREHENSIVE REPORTS FOR EACH CITY ARE NOW BEING PREPARED AND WILL INCLUDE DATA CONCERNING SAMPLING ERRORS AND RESPONSE RATES, AND ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL DETAILS ABOUT THE SURVEYS. (SNI ABSTRACT)