NCJ Number
120953
Date Published
1989
Length
45 pages
Annotation
This 1987 British study replicates a 1981 Home Office study of racially motivated incidents, with additional information on the characteristics and nature of the incidents and on the nature of the police response.
Abstract
The 13 police forces which participated in the previous study cooperated in the 1987 study. As in the 1981 study, all inter-racial incidents reported to the police from June 8 to August 7 were recorded. On questionnaires completed by officers responding to the incidents, information was provided on the nature of the incident, location, number of victims, age and sex of suspects, and victims' sex. Details of the initial police response to the incident were also reported. Comparison of 1987 data with the 1981 study indicates that although there may have been some decline in serious racially motivated offenses, there has been an increase in relatively less serious incidents, e.g., harassment and nuisance behavior, directed at ethnic minorities, particularly Asians. Data suggest that in many instances the police were more reluctant than the victims to impute racial motivations to the incidents. Some suggestions for improved police response to such incidents are offered. 6 tables, appended questionnaire, 24 references.