NCJ Number
56415
Date Published
1978
Length
244 pages
Annotation
RAPE DATA FROM THE SAN DIEGO, CALIF., POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR 1971 TO 1975 ARE USED TO EXAMINE RAPE THROUGH A GEOGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK.
Abstract
A REVIEW OF LITERATURES REVEALS TENTATIVE DATA ABOUT RAPE VICTIMS: THEY ARE YOUNG, DEPENDENT OR SINGLE, OF LOWER OCCUPATIONAL STATUS, LIVE IN APARTMENTS OFTEN CONVERTED FROM A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, LIVE IN AREAS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF SINGLE ADULTS AND UNDERGOING A RACIAL TRANSITION, AND ARE ATTACKED WITHIN THEIR RESIDENCES, ALTHOUGH THE INITIAL MEETING PLACE IS THE STREET. THUS, THE SPATIAL PATTERNS OF THE RAPE VICTIM CAN BE EXPLAINED BY THE SPATIAL VARIATION OF THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE. USING CARTOGRAPHIC, GEOSTATISTICAL, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES RAPE WITH REFERENCES TO THE SPATIAL VARIATION OF THE FAMILY LIFE CYCLE (E.G., THE NUMBER OF RAPES OCCURRING TO VICTIMS THAT ARE JUST BEGINNING A FAMILY, UNMARRIED OR CHILDLESS, SINGLE PARENTS) AND LAND USE STRUCTURE (NUMBER OF RAPES OCCURRING IN SHOPPING OR EMPLOYMENT AREAS, PARKS, AND OPEN SPACES). THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE IS THE SUM OF ALL THE RAPES INVOLVING ONE OR MORE OFFENDERS PER CENSUS TRACT DIVIDED BY THE ANNUAL TOTAL NUMBER OF RAPES. THE AGE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE VICTIM AND OFFENDER IN RAPES BY STRANGERS IS EXAMINED IN RELATION TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE RESIDENCES OF THE VICTIM AND OFFENDERS AND THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VICTIM; OFFENDERS ARE STUDIED IN RELATION TO THE DISTANCES BETWEEN THEIR RESIDENCES. FINALLY, A CRIMINAL CAREER TYPOLOGY IS DEVELOPED WITH THE MAIN DISCRIMINATING CRITERION BEING THE NUMBER OF OFFENSES COMMITTED BY ONE OFFENDER BEFORE HE BECOMES KNOWN OR IS APPREHENDED. NOT ONE SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL OR SPECIAL DIFFERENCE EMERGED DURING MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS. HOWEVER, SOME IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS WERE NOTED. OFFENDERS WHO ARE STRANGERS TO THEIR VICTIMS EMPLOY MORE PERILOUS METHODS OF OPERATION, DO NOT MOVE THE VICTIM FAR, AND COMMIT THE OFFENSE IN A VARIETY OF SOCIOECONOMIC AREAS. THE ONE-TIME OFFENDER IS MORE LIKELY TO KNOW HIS VICTIM, MOVE THE VICTIM, AND USE A VARIETY OF METHODS OF OPERATION. MULTIPLE OFFENDERS ARE PREDOMINANTLY STRANGERS TO THEIR VICTIMS AND STRIKE REPEATEDLY IN THE SAME AREA OR IN A SOCIOECONOMICALLY SIMILAR AREA. TABULAR DATA, THE DATA COLLECTION FORM, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)