CRIME IN NEBRASKA - A SURVEY - NEBRASKA ANNUAL SOCIAL INDICATORS SURVEY, 1978

• NCJ Number: 68101
• Author(s): S WILLIAMS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 36 pages
• Corporate Author: Nebraska Cmssn on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

VICTIMIZATION DATA WERE GATHERED IN ORDER TO MEASURE THE ACTUAL VOLUME OF PERSONAL AND HOUSEHOLD PROPERTY CRIMES IN NEBRASKA FOR 1977.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE INCLUDED 1,940 ADULTS IN HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE STATE WHO WERE SURVEYED IN A 1978 OMNIBUS QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. VICTIMS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, PEOPLE LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS AND COLLEGES, AND TRANSIENTS WERE NOT INCLUDED, AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING PROPERTY CRIMES WERE LIMITED TO THOSE AGAINST HOUSEHOLDS. CRIMES COMMITTED WITHIN THE 12 PRECEDING MONTHS WERE REPORTED IN ANSWERS TO 15 QUESTIONS. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT 24 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE VICTIMS OF CRIMES, WHICH WAS A 2 PERCENT DECREASE IN THE VICTIMIZATION RATE FROM 1976. ALMOST 38 PERCENT OF THE 563 OFFENSES INVOLVED VANDALISM, AND 21 PERCENT INVOLVED FRAUD. OTHER CRIMES INCLUDED LARCENY-THEFT AT 18.5 PERCENT, BURGLARY AT 14.1 PERCENT, ASSAULT AT 3.7 PERCENT, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT AT 3.4 PERCENT, RAPE AT 0.7 PERCENT AND ROBBERY AT 0.7 PERCENT. ONLY 43 PERCENT OF ALL VICTIMIZATIONS WERE REPORTED TO THE POLICE, AND AMONG THESE, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT AND BURGLARY WERE THE MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED (70 PERCENT), AND FRAUD AND RAPE WERE THE LEAST REPORTED (LESS THAN 10 PERCENT). WHILE THE YOUNG, THE NONWHITE, AND THE URBAN RESIDENTS ARE THE MOST COMMON VICTIMS, PEOPLE UNDER 30 YEARSS OF AGE WERE THE LEAST LIKELY TO REPORT OFFENSES TO THE POLICE. FURTHERMORE, ABOUT THREE OUT OF FOUR RESPONDENTS CONSIDERED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO BE EFFECTIVE IN DEALING WITH CRIME, BUT ONLY HALF CONSIDERED THE COURTS AND CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM EFFECTIVE. SIXTY PERCENT BELIEVE THAT STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO MORE IN THE AREA OF CRIME PREVENTION, AND ONLY ONE PERCENT THOUGHT THE STATE SHOULD DO LESS. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT FUTURE SURVEYS SHOULD PROVIDE CRIME PREVENTION INFORMATION. BURGLARY VICTIMS SHOULD INDICATE HOW THE BURGLAR ENTERED THE HOMES, AND VICTIMS OF PERSONAL CRIMES SHOULD PROVIDE THE LOCATIONS OF THE ATTACKS AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ATTACKERS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, CHARTS, AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE 1979 SURVEY, SEE NCJRS NUMBER 68102.