NCJ Number
45902
Journal
REVIEW OF PUBLIC DATA USE Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1976) Pages: 23-28
Date Published
1976
Length
6 pages
Annotation
SAMPLE SURVEYS USED BY THE BUREAU OF CENSUS TO MEASURE THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES ARE DISCUSSED. BOTH NATIONAL AND CITY SURVEYS ARE CONDUCTED IN HOUSEHOLDS AND IN COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS.
Abstract
A ROTARY PANEL DESIGN IS USED IN ORDER TO INTERVIEW 10,000 HOUSEHOLDS EACH MONTH. QUARTERLY AND YEARLY ESTIMATES OF THE VICTIMIZATION RATES FOR RAPE, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, BURGLAR, LARCENY, AND AUTO THEFT ARE MADE. A PANEL OF COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS IS CONTACTED EACH MONTH IN ORDER TO PROBE THE ROBBERY AND BURGLARY EXPERIENCES OF SUCH ORGANIZATIONS. PARALLEL STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED DURING 1972-1974 WITH THE RESIDENTS OF 10,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF 2,500 COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN ORDER TO PRODUCE JURISDICTION-SPECIFIC VICTIMIZATION ESTIMATES FOR EACH COMMUNITY. ATTITUDE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO SUBSAMPLES OF CITY RESIDENTS. THIS ARTICLE SUMMARIZES THE DATA THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND DISCUSSES THE WAYS IN WHICH DATA CAN BE ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO INCIDENTS, TIME FRAME, AND HIERARCHY. CONCEPTUAL AND METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS IN THE SURVEY WORK ARE NOTED AND INCLUDE PROBLEMS IN NONRECALL AND MISRECALL OF DATA. A TABLE PROVIDES THE VICTIM SURVEY CITIES BY SURVEY DATES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)