NCJ Number
61954
Date Published
1979
Length
56 pages
Annotation
THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS BASED ON AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED LITERATURE PRODUCED UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF NILECJ; IT IS PART OF A SERIES OF REPORTS ON CITIZENS' ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME.
Abstract
THE SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS THE CENTRAL ISSUES AND FINDINGS OF A LONG STUDY OF WHAT CITIZENS THINK, FEEL, AND DO ABOUT CRIME WHICH EMPHASIZED INNOVATIVE RESEARCH CONDUCTED DURING THE 1970'S AND THE FINDINGS IN MANY UNPUBLISHED AND NARROWLY DISTRIBUTED REPORTS. REACTIONS TO CRIME HAVE BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL DIMENSIONS. THE FORMER ARE DISCUSSED AS 'PERCEPTIONS OF CRIME' AND INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF PHENOMENA SUCH AS EMOTIONAL RESPONSES, COGNITIVE JUDGMENTS, ASSESSMENTS OF THE NATURE OF CRIME, AND MORAL OR POLITICAL EVALUATIONS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CRIME PROBLEMS. THE BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES TO CRIME, BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, ARE EXAMINED. IN EACH OF THREE PARTS OF THE REVIEW, CONCEPTS ARE DEVELOPED TO ORGANIZE THE DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH ISSUES AND FINDINGS. IN A NEW AREA OF INQUIRY SUCH AS REACTIONS TO CRIME, THERE ARE FEW TERMINOLOGICAL CONVENTIONS. THUS THE SAME WORDS MAY BE USED TO REFER TO DIFFERENT PHENOMENA. CONVERSELY, THE EQUIVALENT FINDINGS MAY BE USED TO PROVIDE TOOLS FOR COMMON DISCUSSION OF SEVERAL TOPICS. EACH PART OF THE REPORT ALSO DISCUSSES FACTORS BELIEVED TO AFFECT THE CHARACTER OF REACTIONS TO CRIME. THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION APPEAR REPEATEDLY AS RELEVANT FACTORS TO UNDERSTANDING EACH TYPE OF REACTION, WHILE OTHER FACTORS RELATE TO ONLY ONE OR TWO TYPES OF REACTIONS. THE BEHAVIORAL REACTIONS ARE SHOWN TO AFFECT SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. REFERENCES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SUMMARY. FOR THE FULL REPORT, SEE NCJ-61955.