NCJ Number
182282
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 14 Issue: 4 Dated: Winter 1999 Pages: 381-396
Date Published
1999
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Three studies investigated the appropriateness of calling the police as a function of crime, victim, and subject factors.
Abstract
In particular, the studies focused on whether and how the victim's consumption of alcohol affected normative advice to report the crime compared to other options. All three studies were experiments in which subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 between-subjects conditions (study 1) or 12 between-subjects conditions (studies 2 and 3). Subjects' gender and age were two additional grouping variables. In all three studies, subjects judged the appropriateness of calling the police for each of nine crimes. Across the three studies, subjects viewed reporting the crime as more appropriate for female victims, for victims who were 21 or older, and for victims who had not been drinking. In addition, females were more likely than males to believe reporting to the police was appropriate; whereas males were more likely than females to favor some type of private action. Subjects viewed reporting as particularly inappropriate when the victim was underage and had been drinking. Results suggest that because of the perceived stigma attached to victims who have been drinking, even serious victimizations may go unreported. 4 tables and 20 references