NCJ Number
46247
Date Published
1978
Length
68 pages
Annotation
PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES ABOUT CRIME AND RELATED TOPICS WERE THE SUBJECT OF A SURVEY OF WASHINGTION, D.C., RESIDENTS CONDUCTED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS FOR LEAA.
Abstract
THE REPORT PROVIDES FINDINGS OF A REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY OF 4,676 HOUSEHOLDS (8,156 PERSONS) TAKEN IN 1974 AS PART OF THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY PROGRAM. BASED ON 37 STATISTICAL DATA TABLES, DISCUSSION CENTERS ON PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES RELATING TO TRENDS IN CRIME, FEAR OF CRIME, RESIDENTIAL PROBLEMS AND LIFESTYLES, AND LOCAL POLICE PERFORMANCE. EVEN THOUGH NEARLY HALF OF ALL THE D.C. RESIDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY HAD LIMITED OR CHANGED THEIR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF CRIME IN THE YEARS PRECEDING 1974, MOST OTHER INDICATORS SUGGEST THAT THE THREAT OF CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION DID NOT STRONGLY INFLUENCE PERSONAL LIFESTYLES AND MOBILITY. FOR INSTANCE, MOTIVES OTHER THAN MINIMIZING THE THREAT OF CRIME WERE PARAMOUNT IN SELECTING NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, LEAVING OLD ONES, AND CHOOSING SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT LOCATIONS. NEVERTHELESS, OPINIONS ABOUT CRIME WERE NOT UNIFORM ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF THE CITY'S POPULATION; THE DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF THE THREAT OF VICTIMIZATION WERE ESPECIALLY APPARENT AMONG WOMEN, THE ELDERLY, AND RECENT VICTIMS. BLACKS AND WHITES TENDED TO AGREE ON MOST SURVEY ISSUES, ALTHOUGH BLACKS WERE MORE LIKELY TO INDICATE THAT THEY HAD CHANGED THEIR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF CRIME AND TO RATE POLICE PERFORMANCE AS LESS GOOD, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS RELATING TO THE APPLICATION OF RESOURCES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS. SURVEY DATA TABLES, THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT, TECHNICAL INFORMATION, AND A GLOSSARY ARE APPENDED. CHARTS ARE PROVIDED. FOR A RELATED DOCUMENT CONCERNING THE COMPANION VICTIMIZATION SURVEY, SEE NCJ-34830. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAS)