Guardian Angels: Citizen Response to Crime in Selected Cities of the United States, 1984

• NCJ Number: 115305
• Author(s): S Pennell; C Curtis; J Henderson
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 190 pages
• Grant Number(s): 83-IJ-CX-0037
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This codebook explains the variables, coding system, and research methodology used to gather a set of data focusing on the effects of the Guardian Angels' activities on citizens' fear of crime, the incidence of crime, and police officers' perceptions of the Guardian Angels in several large cities.

Abstract

Data came from transit riders, residents, merchants, and police officers in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, New York City, Sacramento, and San Francisco. Some of the samples were convenience samples, while others came from random sampling procedures. Transit riders gave information about their knowledge of and contacts with the Angels, attitudes toward the group, feelings of safety on public transit, victimization experience, and demographic characteristics. Police officers provided information about their knowledge of the Angels, attitudes toward the group, opinions regarding the benefits and effectiveness of the group, and law enforcement experiences. Data for residents and merchants includes demographic characteristics, general problems in the neighborhood, opinions regarding crime problems, crime prevention activities, fear of crime, knowledge of the Angels, attitudes toward the group, and victimization experiences. (Author abstract modified)