NCJ Number
45812
Date Published
1978
Length
30 pages
Annotation
A RANDOM SAMPLE OF TEXAS DRIVERS WAS SURVEYED TO DETERMINE THE PERCENTAGE WHICH WAS VICTIMIZED BY CRIME. THE BULK OF THE INCREASE IN 1976, FROM 17.9 PERCENT TO 21.6 PERCENT, WAS IN PROPERTY CRIMES.
Abstract
THE SOURCE OF THE DATA IS A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 1000 TEXAS RESIDENTS SELECTED FROM THE COMPUTERIZED FILE OF TEXAS DRIVERS LICENSES OPERATED, BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THE SURVEY ESTIMATES THE CHANGE IN THE LEVEL OF CRIME IN THE STATE AS REPORTED BY THE PUBLIC, DIFFERING FROM OTHER MEASURES OF CRIME AVAILABLE FROM POLICE REPORTS IN ITS INCLUSION OF CRIMES NOT REPORTED. THE CRIME TREND INFORMATION IS DISTRIBUTED TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY ADMINISTRATORS AND PLANNERS, AND INTERESTED PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING THE FORMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC POLICIES TOWARD CRIME, VICTIMS, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES SUCH AS VICTIM RESTITUTION AND CITIZEN COOPERATION WITH THE POLICE, PROSECUTION, AND COURTS. WHILE THE REPORT INDICATES THAT PROPERTY CRIME IS STEADILY INCREASING, VIOLENT CRIME IS APPARENTLY STABILIZING OR DECREASING SLIGHTLY. DATA ON REPORTING RATES INDICATE THAT RAPE IS REPORTED 60 PERCENT OF THE TIME, WHILE ATTEMPTED RAPE IS REPORTED ONLY 25 PERCENT OF THE TIME. IT WAS FOUND THAT REPORTING RATES OF BURGLARY AND VIOLENT CRIMES INCREASED IN 1976, WHILE REPORTING RATES FOR THEFT DECREASED SLIGHTLY FROM 1975. FINANCIAL LOSSES FROM THE CRIMES SURVEYED SHOWED AN AVERAGE OF $109 PER ADULT, AGE 16 OR OVER, COMPARED TO $98 IN 1975. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN VIOLENCE IN LARGE CITIES OVER 100,000 POPULATION, WHILE LESS VIOLENCE OCCURRED IN SMALLER CITIES. THE APPENDICES INCLUDE WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE SURVEYED, A DISCUSSION OF THE SAMPLE SELECTION, AND A TREATMENT OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TEXAS CRIME TREND SURVEY AND THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS. (RCB)