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Criminal Victimization in the United States: A Description of Trends from 1973 to 1977

NCJ Number
59898
Author(s)
R W Dodge
Date Published
1979
Length
51 pages
Annotation
Data from the National Crime Survey collected over a period of 5 years (1973 to 1977) make it possible to examine trends in victimization beyond year-to-year change. This report analyzes these trends.
Abstract
Another in a series of reports based on data from the National Crime Survey, this document provides policymakers and the general public with insights into crime, its victims, and the impact of criminal behavior on society. It also furnishes profiles of victims, and, for certain sectors of society, indicates the relative risk of being victimized. During the 5-year period under study, most of the crimes measured by the survey exhibited change that was statistically significant, either for all 5 years or for lesser time intervals. Assault, personal larceny without contact, and household larceny registered higher victimization rates in 1977 than in 1973. In contrast, personal larceny with contact, household burglary, and motor vehicle theft had lower rates in 1997, although only the decline for vehicle theft was clearcut. In addition to examining overall crime trends, this report deals with violence between strangers, violent crimes that resulted in serious injury to the victims, and the proportions of various crimes reported to the police. These findings are described in terms of common victim attributes, such as age, sex, and race. Sixteen charts and seventeen tables of data support the text. (Author abstract modified-DAG)