NCJ Number
161076
Date Published
Unknown
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Using victim surveys, this study compares the crime risks for foreign tourists with risks for the permanent population in the Malaga area in Southern Spain, which is a popular tourist resort for Northern Europeans.
Abstract
Researchers conducted a victim survey at the airport as tourists were waiting for their flights home at the departure gates. The questionnaire was printed in seven languages, and the researchers succeeded in obtaining questions from 3,400 respondents from 16 countries. Respondents provided information on any thefts, robberies, sexual harassment, and frauds experienced during their vacations. Information from this survey was compared with data from a previous victim survey that solicited similar information from Spanish permanent residents. The comparison between the two surveys showed that tourists on a 1- to 2-week holiday have an elevated risk of becoming crime victims compared to permanent residents. Most of the crimes experienced by tourists, however, involved petty thefts. Crime in general in the region is predominantly nonviolent. The findings provide empirical support for a lifestyle/opportunity theory of crime and victimization. Some recommendations for crime prevention in the area include the coordination of the services of the three police forces that serve the area, improved contacts between tourist intermediaries and the three police forces, improved facilities for reporting crimes to the police, the re-establishment of a beach guard system, and improved security measures in hotels and apartment rental blocks. 1 table, 6 figures, and 8 references