NCJ Number
236791
Date Published
2011
Length
61 pages
Annotation
This report provides information and analysis on the data collected for the 2011 Maine Crime Victimization Survey (MCVS).
Abstract
This report discusses findings of the 2011 survey and highlights areas of comparison with the original MCVS, which was conducted in 2006. Results indicate that most Mainers feel safe in their communities; 93.8 percent of those surveyed report feeling safe in the community where they live, and 87.9 percent say they are never or almost never fearful of being the victim of a violent crime. Mainers who report that they have been victimized by crime differ in their perceptions of safety; victims of crime are more likely to report feeling unsafe in their communities and express fear of being a victim of a violent crime when compared to non-victims. Mainers feel local law enforcement performs well; a majority of survey respondents (72.5 percent) view law enforcement performance in their communities as good or very good. Those who have been victimized by crime in the last 12 months, especially those victimized by violent crime, have a less positive view of law enforcement. Mainers perceive substance abuse and family issues as contributing to crime; survey respondents say substance abuse (illegal drugs and alcohol) and family related issues contribute a great deal to the crime problems in Maine. Asked to respond on a four item scale from "none or hardly any" to "a great deal," respondents rated illegal drugs (63.4 percent) and the lack of parental discipline (53.7 percent) as most responsible for crime in Maine. Appendix