NCJ Number
156760
Date Published
1995
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Questionnaire survey data collected from 696 households in a public housing complex in Chicago in June 1995 formed the basis of an analysis of crime, violence, and gangs in public housing and citizen attitudes toward becoming involved in crime prevention.
Abstract
The questionnaire sought information about violence and the viewpoints of the residents, their experiences, their beliefs, and assessments of the problems in their 2,000-unit public housing complex. Nearly all believed that tenants should be more involved in preventing crime and police. Nearly half reported dissatisfaction with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Police and CHA armed security officers. Sixty-nine percent gave safety ratings of 5 or under on a 10-point scale. A total of 7.2 percent reported that someone from their household was murdered and 6.3 percent reported that a household member was a sexual assault victim in 1994. A total of 17.6 percent of households reported having an assault victim, 18.6 percent reported having a robbery victim, and 15.5 percent reported that their household was burglarized in 1994. Three-fourths reported rival gang violence in the complex in the past year, and four-fifths believed that police walking the beat would discourage gang activity in the area. Additional findings focused on household demographics, victim services, crime prevention approaches, and related issues. Findings indicated a significant level of crime and violence in the complex, as well as residents' willingness to become involved in crime prevention efforts