NCJ Number
61541
Date Published
1979
Length
48 pages
Annotation
SELECTED FINDINGS FROM CURRENTLY AVAILABLE SOURCES ABOUT THE SCOPE AND NATURE OF CRIME IN OREGON ARE PRESENTED IN ORDER TO DISPEL COMMON STEREOTYPES OF CRIME, ITS VICTIMS, AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
THE BOOKLET IS MODELED AFTER THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S 1978 PUBLICATION, 'MYTHS AND REALITIES ABOUT CRIME.' DATA SOURCES FOR THE OREGON PUBLICATION INCLUDED THE OREGON LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNCIL, U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, OREGON STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE, OREGON BOARD OF PAROLE, OREGON CORRECTIONS DIVISION, AND THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. MAJOR FINDING WAS THAT, IN CONTRAST TO THE PUBLIC BELIEF THAT CRIME IS CONSTANTLY ON THE INCREASE, THE CRIME RATES IN BOTH OREGON AND THE U.S. HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY STABLE IN THE PAST 4 YEARS. SIMILARLY, THE COMMON BELIEF THAT MOST CRIME IS VIOLENT IN NATURE WAS CONTRADICTED BY STATISTICS SHOWING THAT OVER 90 PERCENT OF THE CRIME IN BOTH OREGON AND THE U.S. IS PROPERTY CRIME. A 1978 SAMPLE OF 931 OREGONIANS CONTRADICTED THE COMMON BELIEF THAT THE ELDERLY ARE OREGON'S MOST HIGHLY VICTIMIZED GROUP. THE SURVEY SHOWED THAT PEOPLE OVER AGE 65 ARE THE LEAST VICTIMIZED AGE GROUP IN ALL MAJOR CRIME CATEGORIES, ALTHOUGH THE TRAUMA AND ECONOMIC BURDEN OF VICTIMIZATION MAY BE GREATER FOR THE ELDERLY. OTHER TOPICS ADDRESSED INCLUDED MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, ARMED VIOLENCE, ARSON, DRUGS AND JUVENILES, WOMEN OFFENDERS, VICTIM ASSISTANCE, RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, AGE AND CRIME, PUNISHMENT, APPEALS, PAROLE DECISION AND PATTERNS, COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, AND CALLS FOR POLICE SERVICE. FURTHER RESEARCH ON BELIEFS ON RECIDIVISM, RAPE, CRIME PREVENTION, DEFENSE, REHABILITATION, AND SENTENCING DISPARITY IS RECOMMENDED. DIAGRAMS WHICH INCLUDE STATISTICS, DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED, AND A LIST OF DATA SOURCES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)