NCJ Number
91920
Date Published
1982
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A 1982 survey of approximately 1,000 Oregon citizens revealed increasing use of many crime prevention measures, suggesting community crime prevention programs are having some impact or fear of victimization is increasing.
Abstract
Over half the survey respondents had contacted a neighbor about watching one another's houses, 36 percent had improved locks, and 22 percent had improved lighting. Some areas evidenced no improvement, such as people marking valuable property, displaying antiburglary stickers, or locking the car when parked away from home. Residents of Portland and Salem exhibited the greatest use of crime prevention measures, probably due to their active crime prevention programs. This is particularly true for Portland where some of the first programs were initiated, although its citizens also may be reacting to higher crime rates. An increasing number of citizens apparently view gun ownership as a means of protection against crime, with 60 percent of the 1982 respondents having a gun in their home -- a 4-percent increase over 1978. Persons over 65 were likely to use crime prevention measures than others, a finding consistent with previous surveys. Television appears to be the most effective media for reaching people with crime prevention information, followed by newspaper and radio. These methods were less effective with young people who were more likely to get information from radio, word-of-mouth, displays, or law enforcement agencies. Graphs illustrate survey findings.