NCJ Number
112564
Date Published
1988
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article highlights 1986 findings of Kentucky's Crime Estimation (CREST) program and describes categories of information found in the database.
Abstract
Telephone interviews of a random sample of households in Kentucky are the source of preliminary CREST data. Interviews with 460 respondents between July and December 1986 showed that approximately 27 percent of Kentucky households were touched by crime. Violent crime affected 5 percent. Among the respondents, 58 percent were fearful of being burglarized and 38 percent expressed fear of being robbed and physically assaulted. The survey revealed that Kentuckians were taking the initiative in varying degrees to protect themselves, but they did not necessarily use the services of formal crime prevention programs. For example, 88 percent asked friends and neighbors to keep an eye on their homes when away, but only 4 percent had participated in Neighborhood Watch programs. The report discusses Kentuckians' views on child abuse and child abuse prevention programs. Also described are four areas covered by CREST: victimization, mental health, government and citizen crime prevention initiatives, and citizen opinions and behavior relating to current public safety issues.