NCJ Number
56569
Date Published
1976
Length
523 pages
Annotation
CRIME REPORTING BEHAVIOR OF THE WEST GERMAN PUBLIC AS WELL AS PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD THE THREAT OF CRIME AND THE WORK OF CRIMINAL CONTROL AGENCIES ARE INVESTIGATED ON THE BASIS OF SURVEYS IN STUTTGART, WEST GERMANY.
Abstract
THE SAMPLE CONSISTS OF 1,645 INHABITANTS OF STUTTGART WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF CRIMES; IN ONE GROUP, HOUSEHOLDS, AND IN A SECOND GROUP, HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS, ARE SURVEYED. VARIOUS QUESTIONNAIRES MEASURE THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME AND THE POLICE, AS WELL AS CLASS FACTORS AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS. RESULTS INDICATE THAT MOST INHABITANTS FEAR BEING VICTIMS OF BURGLARY OR THEFT, THAT 45 PERCENT OF THE HOUSEHOLDS SURVEYED HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY CRIMES, THAT 46 PERCENT OF THE CRIMES ARE REPORTED, AND THAT THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR FAILURE TO REPORT A CRIME IS THE LIMITED EXTENT OF DAMAGES. OTHER RESULTS REVEAL THAT THE DARK FIGURE FOR CRIME VARIES FROM 1:1 TO 1:39, THAT ALL GROUPS OF THE POPULATION HAVE A POSITIVE ORIENTATION TOWARD THE POLICE, AND THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE MORE RELEVANT THAN SOCIAL AND STATUS CHARACTERISTICS IN VICTIMS OF PARTICULAR CRIMES. METHODOLOGICALLY, QUESTIONING ALL MEMBERS OF HOUSEHOLDS PROVES MORE ACCURATE THAN JUST HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS. FURTHERMORE, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CRIME IS ESTIMATED BY RESPONDENTS TO BE MUCH GREATER WHEN THE CRIME RATE IS EXPLICITLY MENTIONED IN THE QUESTION AS A SOCIAL PROBLEM. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, EXTENSIVE APPENDIXES CONTAINING DATA AS WELL AS ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, COMPLETE NOTES, AND EXHAUSTIVE TABLES ARE PROVIDED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)