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North Carolina Citizens' Perception of Crime and Victimization

NCJ Number
188196
Author(s)
Michael Vasu; Meredith B. Weinstein; Matthew Zingraff
Date Published
2000
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Results of the 1999 North Carolina Citizens' Perception of Crime and Victimization Survey indicate that the criminal justice system in North Carolina is perceived by many to be effective in controlling crime.
Abstract
The survey was completed in late 1999. A total of 3,000 people were randomly selected within each of the three geographic regions of the State; they voluntarily answered the phone survey questions. A total of 51 percent of respondents stated that the criminal justice system was effective, up from 36.7 percent in 1997. Moreover, North Carolina citizens believed schools were safe places or at least as safe as any other public area. Only 11 percent of respondents indicated that they perceived the schools to be unsafe places. In addition, only 7.2 percent of parents of school-aged children reported that their child had been a victim of school violence. In the home, 77.3 percent of respondents reported that they felt safe in their own home from burglaries and robberies. Likewise, 89.7 percent of respondents felt safe in their communities in the daytime, and 58.9 percent felt safe at night. Personal perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system were related to a number of respondent demographic characteristics, including gender, race, education, income, and age. This report documents these differences. Extensive tables and figures