PORTLAND (OR) FORWARD RECORD CHECK OF CRIME - VICTIMS FINAL REPORT, DECEMBER 1977

• NCJ Number: 47167
• Author(s): A L SCHNEIDER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 44 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-NI-99-0084
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Oregon Research Institute
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS ARE REPORTED OF A STUDY COMPARING VICTIMIZATION DATA FROM SURVEYS WITH THOSE FROM OFFICIAL CRIME RECORDS, IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF SURVEY DATA.

Abstract

VICTIMIZATION SURVEY DATA AND OFFICIAL CRIME RECORDS NEVER REFLECT EXACTLY THE SAME INFORMATION. THE ISSUE OF MAJOR CONCERN IS WHETHER VICTIMIZATION SURVEY DATA ARE SUFFICIENTLY RELIABLE AND VALID TO BE USED FOR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION PURPOSES WHEN OFFICIAL DATA ARE NOT APPROPRIATE. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS CONCERN WHETHER VICTIMIZATION DATA PROVIDE AN ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF THE TYPES OF CRIMES THAT OCCUR, THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIMES, CHARACTERISTICS OF SUSPECTS, AND PATTERNS OF VICTIMIZATION. THIS STUDY IS BASED ON AN INTENSIVE ANALYSIS OF 212 REPORTS OF CRIME INCIDENTS FROM THE 1974 PORTLAND, OREGON, VICTIMIZATION SURVEY THAT WERE MATCHED WITH THE OFFICIAL CRIME REPORT OF THE SAME INCIDENT. THE SPECIFIC PURPOSES OF THIS RECORDS CHECK ARE TO DESCRIBE AND ANALYZE THE FOLLOWING: (1) DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SURVEY AND POLICE DATA FOR THESE CASES IN RELATION TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE CRIME, DETAILS OF THE EVENT, SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENDERS, AND ACTIVITIES OF THE POLICE, VICTIMS, AND WITNESSES DURING THE CRIME; (2) THE FREQUENCY OF 'DON'T KNOW' RESPONSES IN THE DATA; (3) PATTERNS OF TELESCOPING (I.E., DISTORTION IN THE VICTIM'S MEMORY OF THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE OF THE CRIME) IN RELATION TO VICTIM CHARACTERISTICS; (4) INCIDENTS FROM THE SURVEY THAT COULD NOT BE FOUND IN THE POLICE DATA EVEN THOUGH RESPONDENTS SAID THE INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED TO AUTHORITIES; AND (5) IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY IN TERMS OF THE UTILITY OF SURVEY (AND POLICE) DATA AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH FOR THE METHODS USED TO COLLECT SURVEY INFORMATION. EACH OF THESE AREAS IS DISCUSSED SEPARATELY IN THE REPORT. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY INCLUDE: (1) INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH VICTIMIZATION SURVEYING IS SUFFICIENTLY SIMILAR TO THAT GIVEN TO POLICE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THAT MOST CRIMES ARE CLASSIFIED IN THE SAME WAY BY THE TWO SOURCES OF DATA; (2) SURVEY DATA CONTAINED HIGHER ESTIMATES OF THE DOLLAR LOSS FROM THE CRIME; (3) THE RELIABILITY OR VALIDITY OF SURVEY DATA DEPEND UPON THE TYPE OF INFORMATION BEING CONSIDERED; (4) FOR MOST OF THE TYPES OF INFORMATION CONSIDERED, THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION DID NOT DECLINE AS A FUNCTION OF THE TIME LAG BETWEEN TIME OF OCCURRENCE AND TIME OF THE INTERVIEW; AND (5) AGE OF THE VICTIM WAS NOT RELATED TO THE AMOUNT OR TYPE OF ERROR IN THE DATA. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. APPENDIXES PROVIDE A REVIEW OF THE DIFFICULT MATCH/NO-MATCH DECISIONS (I.E., MATCHING SURVEY TO OFFICIAL REPORTS); THE SERIOUSNESS SCALE USED IN THE ANALYSIS; AND TABLES COMPARING DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF CRIMES REPORTED TO POLICE AND REPORTED IN THE INTERVIEW. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED.