NCJ Number
212134
Journal
Criminal Justice Studies: A Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2005 Pages: 255-269
Date Published
September 2005
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This research note analyzed school-associated violent victimization among youth in a predominantly Hispanic community.
Abstract
Studies in victimology over the past half century have indicated that Blacks and Hispanics suffer disproportionately high rates of victimization. While the findings on Black victimization are clear, recent studies of Hispanic victimization have produced inconsistent results. As such, this study drew on self-reported school-based victimization survey data from 230 high school students residing in Brownsville, TX on the U.S-Mexico border, the population of which is 91.3 percent Hispanic. Results of statistical analyses revealed that Hispanic students reported being victimized at alarmingly high rates, which contradicts recent research reporting that Hispanics are no more likely to be victimized that non-Hispanics. The findings also showed that males were more likely to be victimized than females and that theft was the most frequent victimization experience. Future research should focus attention on the underreporting of crimes to police by Latin American immigrants. Tables, references