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Study on Post-Incident Maladjustments of Burglary Victims

NCJ Number
163032
Journal
Reports of the National Research Institute of Police Science Volume: 36 Issue: 2 Dated: (December 1995) Pages: 45-46
Author(s)
J Kobayashi; H Saito
Date Published
1995
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This study examines what kinds of burglary victims are more likely to suffer from psychological maladjustments after the victimization and the kinds of incidents that are more likely to be related to the victims' psychological maladjustments.
Abstract
A questionnaire survey was administered to 308 recent burglary victims (2 to 7 weeks prior to the survey), and supplementary information was obtained from the police officers who were in charge of the incidents; the subjects were sampled from 46 prefectures. "Psychological distress" and "fear of revictimization" were the measures of post-incident psychological maladjustments. "Psychological distress" refers to comprehensive psychological problems commonly experienced by victims of crime and accidents. Its indicators include depression, anger, feeling of a lack of personal control, poor physical health, and interpersonal difficulties. "Fear of revictimization" refers to the fear of being burglarized again. The two measures of the post-incident psychological maladjustments were cross-tabulated with the victim individual traits and incident characteristics. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated by controlling the influences of the passing days between the occurrence of victimization and the time of the survey. The study found that female victims were more likely to develop the symptoms of psychological distress and fear of revictimization; and younger victims, particularly young females who lived alone, were more likely to suffer from fear of revictimization. Those most likely to have experienced fear of revictimization lived in condominium or apartment houses and did not have close relationships with neighbors. Victims who performed individual household protection behaviors such as keeping doors and windows locked before the victimization were more likely to suffer from psychological distress and fear of revictimization. Victims who received information on crime prevention from the police were less likely to develop the symptoms of psychological distress and fear of revictimization. Victims who experienced previous incidents of criminal victimization as well as those who saw or heard the burglars were more likely to suffer psychological distress and fear of revictimization, and victims who lost large sums of money also suffered from psychological distress. Those who suffered significant property damage or who assumed they were victimized by professional burglars also suffered from psychological distress. (English summary modified)