NCJ Number
46911
Date Published
1976
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE USE OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS IN EVALUATING A COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM IS EXAMINED AND ALTERNATIVE INDICATORS OF PROGRAM IMPACT ARE REVIEWED.
Abstract
OPERATION WHISTLESTOP WAS INITIATED IN THE HYDE PARK AREA OF CHICAGO, ILL., IN RESPONSE TO DECLINING COMMUNITY BUSINESSES, THE EMIGRATIONS OF SOME LONGTIME COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, AND THE GENERAL FEELING THAT RESIDENTS FEARED BEING VICTIMIZED. THE GOALS WERE TO REDUCE STREET CRIME INCIDENCE AND TO EASE THE RESIDENTS' FEAR OF USING THE STREETS AND THE COMMUNITY'S RESOURCES. WHISTLES WERE TO BE USED IN CALLING FOR HELP; THOSE HEARING WHISTLES WERE TO FIRST CALL THE POLICE AND THEN SEEK TO ASSIST THE VICTIM-WHISTLEBLOWER. ALTHOUGH A COMMUNITY OF 45,000 TO 50,000 PEOPLE ABSORBED NEARLY 17,000 WHISTLES AND WHISTLE USE WAS DOCUMENTED, MORE PRECISE METHODS OF EVALUATING THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT WERE SOUGHT. THE APPLICATION OF STANDARD VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS IS REVIEWED WITH REGARD TO PROGRAM EVALUATIONS. THE COMMON PROBLEMS OF VICTIMIZATION DATA AND OFFICIAL CRIME DATA ARE DISCUSSED; STREET CRIME HAS NO FORMAL STATUS IN LAW -- THE ACTIVITIES OF STREET CRIMINALS ARE SPREAD ACROSS SEVERAL CRIME INDEX CATEGORIES -- AND AN ACCURATE GAUGING OF STREET CRIME BY VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS BASED ON ACCEPTED INDEX FORMATS IS DIFFICULT. DISTINCTIVE PROBLEMS OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS, SUCH AS THE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL COMMITMENT REQUIRED FOR EVEN SMALL AREA SURVEYS AND THE BIASES INHERENT IN THE USE OF HOUSEHOLDS AS SAMPLING UNITS, ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS OF PROGRAM IMPACT ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING ATTITUDINAL AND BEHAVIORAL SURVEYS AND COGNITIVE MAPPING. ANOTHER SOURCE OF ALTERNATIVE DATA ARE BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS, SUCH AS THE USE OF PUBLIC SPACE, TRANSPORTATION AND STREET USAGE, BUSINESS ACTIVITY, AND RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY; THE ROLES OF THESE INDICATORS IN THE ACCURATE MEASURE OF PROGRAM IMPACT ARE REVIEWED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE APPLICATION OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEY DATA TO PROGRAM EVALUATION, WHILE MORE RELEVANT THAN DATA CULLED FROM OFFICIAL POLICE SOURCES, MAY LEAD TO INACCURACIES DUE TO THE BROAD CATEGORIZATIONS COMMON TO ACCEPTED VICTIMIZATION SURVEY TECHNIQUES. SUPPLEMENTING THE DATA BASE DEVELOPED IN THE COURSE OF A VICTIMIZATION SURVEY WITH DATA FROM ALTERNATE SOURCES MAY INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCURATE ESTIMATIONS OF PROGRAM EFFECTS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION ARE PROVIDED. REFERENCE NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL) YOUTHS, FEMALES, AND LONE OFFENDERS --THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. RATHER, GUNS ENABLE OFFENDERS TO ROB MORE LUCRATIVE AND BETTER DEFENDED TARGETS. REFERENCE NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)