NCJ Number
62507
Date Published
1977
Length
108 pages
Annotation
A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 1,000 PERSONS/HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED FROM THE DRIVERS LICENSE FILE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES IN GRESHAM, OREG., SERVED AS THE BASIS FOR THIS 1977 RESIDENTIAL CRIME VICTIMIZATION SURVEY.
Abstract
SURVEY OBJECTIVES WERE TO EVALUATE THE RATE OF VICTIMIZATION IN GRESHAM FOR THE CRIMES OF BURGLARY, LARCENY, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, RAPE, AUTO THEFT, AND VANDALISM; TO MEASURE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VICTIMIZATIONS AND THE NUMBER OF CRIMES REPORTED TO THE POLICE; TO EVALUATE COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF CRIME AND THE USE OF CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES; AND TO PROVIDE BASELINE DATA ABOUT VICTIMIZATION, CRIME REPORTING BEHAVIOR, AND CRIME PREVENTION KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES. OF THE 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS, 632 OR 63.2 PERCENT RESPONDED. PROPERTY CRIME, MOSTLY VANDALISM, THEFT, AND BURGLARY WAS EXPERIENCED BY ABOUT 3 OF EVERY 10 HOUSEHOLDS. VIOLENT CRIME WAS REPORTED BY 3.2 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS, MOSTLY ASSAULT VICTIMS. BETWEEN 26 PERCENT AND 34 PERCENT OF ALL CRIMES WERE REPORTED TO THE POLICE. INCREASED RISK OF PROPERTY CRIME VICTIMIZATION WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER AMONG YOUNG MALES EARNING MORE THAN $25,000 A YEAR AND HAVING A COLLEGE EDUCATION. RISK OF VIOLENT CRIME VICTIMIZATION WAS HIGHEST FOR NONWHITE MALES. THE ANNUAL COST OF CRIME PER VICTIM RANGED FROM $239 TO $316. THE ANNUAL COST OF CRIME PER CITIZEN VARIED BETWEEN $27 AND $95. TOTAL RESIDENTIAL CRIME WAS ESTIMATED TO HAVE COST CITY RESIDENTS NEARLY $2 MILLION IN 1977. MOST RESIDENTS FELT THAT CRIME HAD EITHER STABILIZED OR DECREASED DURING THE YEAR. GENERAL SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS WAS EXPRESSED BY RESPONDENTS FOR FIRST-TIME JUVENILE OFFENDERS, EXCEPT FOR FIRST-TIME RAPE OFFENDERS. DIVERSIONARY PROGRAMS WERE SEEN AS USEFUL WHEN APPLIED TO JUVENILES. IN A LIST OF 14 SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, THREE CRIME-RELATED ISSUES WERE RANKED WITHIN THE TOP SIX CONCERNS: DRUG-ALCOHOL ABUSE, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, AND PROPERTY CRIME. MOST RESIDENTS PRACTICED ROUTINE CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES, SUCH AS LOCKING HOUSE DOORS AND WINDOWS AND LOCKING THEIR CARS. ONLY 27 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS ENGRAVED VALUABLE PROPERTY WITH IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC VARIABLES WERE RELATED TO THE WAY IN WHICH PEOPLE RESPONDED TO CRIME PREVENTION ITEMS ON THE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN INFORMATION ON THE SURVEY METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE, THE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE, AND COMPARATIVE DATA ON VICTIMIZATION IN THE CITIES OF GRESHAM AND MILWAUKEE AND IN THE UNITED STATES. (DEP)