NCJ Number
134873
Date Published
1991
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A random sample of 1,025 Dutch citizens 18 years or older was selected in March 1990, and questions were asked on a variety of crime-related problems.
Abstract
Questionnaire administration was conducted entirely by computer, and data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate techniques. Respondents were first asked to order a number of social problem areas according to seriousness. The crime problem scored highest and was considered to be very serious by 85.5 percent of the respondents. Survey participants were also asked about fraud offenses, government efforts to combat crime, crime causes, juvenile crime, crime prevention initiatives, and sanctions. Respondents indicated industrial fraud, tax fraud by commercial firms, and social security fraud were much more serious than tax fraud by individual citizens. Answers to questions on victimization revealed that men were more often victimized than women. Young people, particularly students and youth, were more often victims of bicycle theft and less often of pickpocketing than persons 60 years and older. The risk of victimization was twice as high in urban centers as in rural areas. Lack of parental attention to and control of their children was identified as a major factor contributing to juvenile delinquency. Youth unemployment was also considered an important factor, especially by adherents of the Green Party. Respondents advocated reparation of damages, community service, and specific training programs as responses to juvenile delinquency. Most respondents felt the government allocates too little funding to the crime problem, and 69 percent advocated alternatives to imprisonment. 8 references and 8 tables