VICTIMIZATION, FEAR OF CRIME AND ALTERED BEHAVIOR - A PROFILE OF THE PROBLEM IN CAPPER DWELLINGS, WASHINGTON, DC

• NCJ Number: 44438
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 67 pages
• Contract Number(s): H-2249
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Housing and Urban Development
• Corporate Author: William Brill Associates, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; US Dept of Housing and Urban Development
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A SURVEY OF VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCES AND FEAR OF CRIME IN 168 PUBLIC HOUSING HOUSEHOLDS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IS DOCUMENTED.

Abstract

THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER OF 1975 IN CAPPER DWELLINGS, A LARGE PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEX COMPOSED OF THREE GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTINCT PROJECTS. RESIDENTS WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCES IN THE PAST YEAR, ABOUT THEIR FEAR OF CRIME, AND ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY HAD ALTERED THEIR BEHAVIOR AS A RESULT OF THEIR CONCERN ABOUT CRIME. REPEATED VICTIMIZATION IS VERY HIGH IN CAPPER DWELLINGS. OF 50 HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAD EXPERIENCED A CRIME DURING THE PRECEDING YEAR, 75 PERCENT HAD BEEN VICTIMIZED MORE THAN ONCE. FOR MOST CATEGORIES OF CRIME, VICTIMIZATION RATES ARE HIGHER FOR CAPPER DWELLINGS THAN FOR THE NATION AS A WHOLE, FOR SIMILAR INCOME GROUPS NATIONWIDE, FOR WASHINGTON, D.C., AS A WHOLE, AND FOR SIMILAR INCOME GROUPS ELSEWHERE IN WASHINGTON. FEAR OF CRIME IN CAPPER DWELLINGS IS OUT OF PROPORTION TO ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION EXPERIENCE. ALTHOUGH THE ACTUAL INCIDENCE OF ROBBERY WAS LESS THAN 5 IN 100, 74 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS FELT THEY HAD A 50-50 OR BETTER CHANCE OF BEING ROBBED IN THE COMING YEAR. RESIDENTS TENDED TO CONSTRAIN THEIR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF THEIR FEAR, AND MANY HAD PURCHASED MEANS OF SELF-PROTECTION. SURVEY FINDINGS ARE COMPARED WITH FINDINGS FROM STUDIES OF PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS IN BOSTON, MASS., DADE COUNTY, FLA., BALTIMORE, MD., AND LOS ANGELES, CALIF. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED.