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Victimization Rates for Domestic Travelers

NCJ Number
168665
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 25 Issue: 3 Dated: 1997 Pages: 205-210
Author(s)
C F Wellford
Date Published
1997
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Due to widespread concern about the criminal victimization of travelers and the lack of empirical research on the extent of this victimization, the criminal victimization of travelers was analyzed by estimating victimization rates for the population while not traveling.
Abstract
Estimates were generated using the National Crime Victimization Survey conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Travel Survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Data Center. Combining the two national surveys, researchers were able to analyze the probability of criminal victimization during a 1-year period for domestic travelers 18 years of age and older and compare victimization rates of travelers to those of the general population in the same age range. Findings revealed the rate of criminal victimization for all crime types for domestic travelers was substantially less than the rate of criminal victimization for the general population. Differences in victimization rates in the general population by gender were also found in the traveler population. In addition, crime patterns in the general population were similar to those in the traveler population, with about 75 percent of all victimizations involving property crimes. Theoretical explanations for the differences in victimization rates are offered. 3 references, 8 notes, and 4 tables