NCJ Number
160330
Date Published
1991
Length
47 pages
Annotation
Objectives of this victim support crime prevention project were to support victims of crime and harassment, give them crime prevention advice, and improve quality of life by reducing fear and encouraging self-help among neighbors.
Abstract
The project was conducted in an English neighborhood, and an effort was made during the course of the project to visit every victim of reported and unreported crime and harassment. It was found that 46 households or residents were victims of more than one reported crime. Although victims of reported and unreported crime and harassment did not readily come forward and ask for help, many wanted assistance. A few crime victims received crime prevention advice, but project workers sometimes felt such advice was not always appropriate, especially when the victim and the assailant were known to each other. Many victims needed financial assistance to make security improvements to their residences. Recommendations are offered to implement crime prevention projects. The importance of neighborhood support and involvement in crime prevention initiatives, such as Block Watch and community mediation, is stressed. Characteristics of victims interviewed during the course of the project are noted in an appendix. References and tables