NCJ Number
81333
Date Published
1981
Length
58 pages
Annotation
This report describes and analyzes responses to questions about experiences of crime victimization and interactions with police administered to representative samples of West Indian and white populations in Manchester, England, in October 1980.
Abstract
The survey sought to determine (1) whether West Indian and white experiences of crime varied, (2) whether West Indians reported victimization to the police more or less often than whites, and (3) whether their other contacts with the police tended to be more negative than those experienced by whites. The survey data do not show substantial differences in white and West Indian victimization or contact with police. West Indians recorded slightly less minor property crime than whites, were stopped and questioned by the police with about the same frequency as whites, and had about the same frequency of causes for personal complaint against the police as whites. Still, West Indians were less satisfied than whites with the way they were treated by police. They reported more unfriendly contacts with the police than did whites. The most important result of the study is its documentation of considerable use of and satisfaction with the police by West Indians in a high-crime, inner-city area. While this is not to deny the anger and discontent that exists between members of this minority and police, these feelings are not shown to be generally characteristic of this group. Tabular data are appended. Fifteen references are listed.