NCJ Number
42018
Date Published
1977
Length
82 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT USES INTERVIEW DATA OBTAINED AS PART OF THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY (NCS), A VICTIMIZATION SURVEY CONDUCTED DURING 1975 IN 13 LARGE U.S. CITIES TO EXAMINE THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF LOCAL POLICE PERFORMANCE.
Abstract
RESPONDENTS FROM ATLANTA, BALTIMORE, CHICAGO, CLEVELAND, DALLAS, DENVER, DETROIT, LOS ANGELES, NEWARK, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, PORTLAND, AND ST. LOUIS WERE QUESTIONED ABOUT THEIR OPINIONS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LOCAL POLICE, OTHER CRIME-RELATED OPINIONS AND ATTITUDES SUCH AS FEAR OF CRIME AND PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME TRENDS, THE PERSONAL VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCES OF THE RESPONDENTS, AND WHETHER OR NOT CRIMES ARE REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THESE DATA ARE RELATED TO DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESPONDENTS, NUMBER OF VICTIMIZATIONS, AND THE RESPONDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE DANGEROUSNESS OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. MANY OF THE RESULTS ARE CROSS-TABULATED WITH A 1972/73 SURVEY OF THE SAME CITIES. SINCE NO OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY HAS MORE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC THAN THE POLICE, AND BECAUSE OF THE CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE OF GOOD POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, THE FACT THAT FULLY 81 PERCENT OF THE CENTRAL CITY, HIGH CRIME AREA RESPONDENTS SAID THAT POLICE PERFORMANCE WAS GOOD OR FAIR IS SIGNIFICANT. AMONG THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE DATA ARE THAT: THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT FOR THE POLICE IN PUBLIC OPINION, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A TENDENCY TO BLAME THE POLICE FOR WHAT IS PERCEIVED AS THE CRIME PROBLEM, THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION ON OPINIONS ABOUT THE POLICE IS SMALL AND LIMITED, AND OPINIONS ABOUT THE POLICE AND DECISIONS OF VICTIMS TO REPORT CRIMES TO THE POLICE ARE ONLY RELATED AMONG VICTIMS OF THE LEAST SERIOUS OF THE CRIMES STUDIED, AND EVEN THEN, THE RELATIONSHIP IS SLIGHT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...MSP