NCJ Number
15138
Date Published
1974
Length
49 pages
Annotation
FIRST IN A SERIES OF STUDIES ESTIMATING THE EXTENT TO WHICH INDIVIDUALS, HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF CRIME.
Abstract
THE NATIONAL CRIME PANEL, A CONTINUING SURVEY OF HOUSEHOLDS AND COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, GUAGES THE EXTENT TO WHICH PERSONS AGE 12 AND OVER, HOUSEHOLDS, AND BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY CERTAIN TYPES OF CRIME AND STUDIES THE CHARACTER AND NATURE OF CRIMINAL INCIDENTS AND THEIR VICTIMS. THE SURVEY WAS DESIGNED ACCORDING TO SCIENTIFIC SAMPLING PRINCIPLES AND IS CONDUCTED FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS. THE PANEL FOCUSES ON SELECTED CRIMES THAT ARE OF MAJOR CONCERN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. FOR INDIVIDUALS, THESE ARE RAPE, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, AND PERSONAL LARCENY, FOR HOUSEHOLDS, BURGLARY, LARCENY, AND MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, AND FOR COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, BURGLARY AND ROBBERY. FOR REPORTED INCIDENTS, INFORMATION IS OBTAINED, AS APPROPRIATE, ON SUCH MATTERS AS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE VICTIM, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENDER AS PERCEIVED BY THE VICTIM, EXTENT OF INJURIES SUFFERED AND AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC LOSS SUSTAINED BY THE VICTIM, TIME AND PLACE OF OCCURRENCE OF THE INCIDENT, WHETHER A WEAPON WAS USED, AND WHETHER THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED. THIS FIRST SURVEY REPORT REVEALS THAT CRIMES OF VIOLENCE AND COMMON THEFT, INCLUDING ATTEMPTS, ACCOUNTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 MILLION VICTIMIZATIONS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1973 OF PERSONS AGE 12 AND OVER, HOUSEHOLDS, AND BUSINESSES. OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VICTIMIZATIONS, ABOUT 57 PERCENT INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS, 39 PERCENT PERTAINED TO HOUSEHOLDS, AND 4 PERCENT CONCERNED BUSINESSES. APPEXDICES PRESENT DETAILED VICTIMIZATION DATA AND A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RELIABILITY OF THE SURVEY SAMPLE USED IN PRODUCING THE VICTIMIZATION DATA. (SNI ABSTRACT)