ESTIMATING THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME - A SURVEY OF CRIME VICTIMIZATION IN PUEBLO, COLORADO

• NCJ Number: 26120
• Journal: Police Chief Volume: 42 Issue: 8 Dated: (AUGUST 1975) Pages: 69-70
• Author(s): E L WILLOUGHBY; J A INCIARDI
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 2 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF 1800 HOUSEHOLDS WERE INVOLVED IN THIS TRI-ETHNIC STUDY WHICH TESTED THE RELIABILITY OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS FOR ESTIMATING THE ACTUAL INCIDENCE OF CRIME (AS OPPOSED TO REPORTED CRIME) IN A GIVEN AREA.

Abstract

ALL PERSONS IN EACH OF THE 1800 HOUSEHOLDS (17 PER CENT OF ALL PUEBLO HOUSEHOLDS) WHO HAD BEEN THE VICTIMS OF CRIME DURING THE PRECEDING TWELVE MONTHS (MAY 1973-APRIL 1974) WERE PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED. STUDY FINDINGS WERE THEN PROJECTED TO THE CITY'S TOTAL POPULATION. IT WAS ALSO PROJECTED THAT ONLY 58 PER CENT OF ALL CRIMES HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE POLICE. A COMPARISON OF POLICE STATISTICS ON REPORTED CRIMES FOR THE SAME TIME PERIOD REVEALED THE PROJECTIONS TO HIGHLY ACCURATE. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT RELIABLE ESTIMATES OF THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME CAN BE CONSTRUCTED WHICH WOULD OFFER INFORMATION CRUCIAL FOR POLICE PLANNING PURPOSES.