MAIL SCREENING PILOT STUDY IN THE NETHERLANDS

• NCJ Number: 61396
• Author(s): J J M VANDIJK
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 21 pages
• Corporate Author: Netherlands Ministry of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands
• Note: CONTRIBUTION BY THE NETHERLANDS TO COMMON DEVELOPMENT EFFORT NO 10, VICTIM SURVEYS' 3RD MEETING ON 20TH-22ND SEPTEMBER 1978

Annotation

RESULTS ARE PRESENTED FROM A SURVEY OF 999 DUTCH RESIDENTS OF THE HAGUE CONCERNING VARIOUS WAYS THEY HAD BEEN VICTIMIZED.

Abstract

SUBJECTS CHOSEN TO RECEIVE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SELECTED AT RANDOM FROM THE TELEPHONE BOOK. A SELECTION OF VICTIM AND NONVICTIM RESPONDENTS AND NONRESPONDENTS WERE THEN INTERVIEWED BY TELEPHONE. TYPES OF VICTIMIZATION INCLUDED VICTIMIZATION WHILE TRAVELING, WORK OR LEISURE ACCIDENTS, CRIMINAL VIOLENCE, SERIOUS FALLS OR INJURIES, AND VERBAL HARRASSMENT. FINDINGS SHOW HIGHER VICTIMIZATION REPORTED BY MALES, WITH THE GREATEST NUMBER FOR TRAVELING AND LEISURE TROUBLES, CRIMINAL VIOLENCE, AND VERBAL HARRASSMENT. HOWEVER, WOMEN REPORTED MORE SERIOUS FALLS, PROBABLY DUE TO WORK ACCIDENTS. ELDERLY PERSONS REPORTED THE GREATEST NUMBER OF FALLS, BUT FEWEST LEISURE TIME ACCIDENTS. THE VICTIMIZATION RATES FOR NONRESPONDENTS DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM RESPONDENTS, AND AGE WAS FOUND TO BE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN ALL RESPONDENTS' ANSWERS. HOWEVER, THE ACCURACY OF THE FINDINGS WAS CLOUDED BY THE INACCURACIES OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHEN A VICTIMIZATION HAD OCCURRED OR ITS NATURE. OVERALL, THESE MAIL STUDIES ARE SUCCESSFUL TOOLS; TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS ARE RECOMMENDED ONLY TO FOLLOW UP QUESTIONNAIRES, AS MANY PEOPLE ARE SUSPICIOUS OF TELEPHONE STUDIES. TABLES AND THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND CORRESPONDENCE (BOTH IN DUTCH) ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)