ROLE OF ATTITUDES IN DECISIONS TO REPORT CRIMES TO THE POLICE

• NCJ Number: 35674
• Author(s): A L SCHNEIDER; J BURCART; L A WILSON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 37 pages
• Grant Number(s): 74-NI-99-0016-G
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Oregon Law Enforcement Council; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Oregon Research Institute
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

REPORT ON A SURVEY OF 3950 HOUSEHOLDS IN PORTLAND, (OR), TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF CITIZENS' FAILURE TO REPORT CRIME, AND THE ROLE OF ATTITUDES AND OTHER FACTORS IN DECISIONS INVOLVING CRIME REPORTING.

Abstract

MOST PERSONS IN THE PORTLAND AREA WERE FOUND TO HAVE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE AND ARE RELATIVELY WELL INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THE SYSTEM IS VERY EFFECTIVE IN CATCHING OR PUNISHING CRIMINALS. THE SERIOUSNESS OF A PROPERTY OFFENSE - MEASURED BY THE VALUE OF THE MONETARY LOSS AND THE TYPE OF ENTRY, IF ANY, TO THE HOME - IS THE BEST SINGLE PREDICTOR OF WHETHER THE VICTIM WILL REPORT THE INCIDENT. FOR PERSONAL CRIMES, THE VICTIM'S ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF LOCAL ISSUES IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PREDICTOR OF THE PERSON'S DECISION TO REPORT OR NOT REPORT THE INCIDENT, AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIME IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR. PERSONS ARE MORE APT TO REPORT CRIMES TO THE POLICE IF THEY ARE MORE INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY, IF THEY BELIEVE THE POLICE WILL BE ABLE TO CATCH THE OFFENDER, IF THEY ARE MORE TRUSTING OF THE POLICE, AND IF THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES. SERIOUS PROPERTY CRIMES ARE MORE APT TO BE REPORTED IF THE VICTIM BELIEVES THE POLICE WILL BE ABLE TO CATCH THE OFFENDER, IF THE VICTIM HAS LIVED IN THE SAME PLACE FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, IF THE VICTIM HAS INSURANCE, AND IF THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED BY A STRANGER. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)