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VICTIMIZATION, FEAR OF CRIME, AND ADAPTIVE RESPONSES AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (FROM PERSPECTIVES ON VICTIMOLOGY, 1979, BY WILLIAM H PARSONAGE - SEE NCJ-62462)

NCJ Number
62470
Author(s)
J R HEPBURN; D J MONTI
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
MULTIVARIATE ANALYSES ASCERTAINED THE RELATIONS BETWEEN SCHOOL-RELATED VICTIMIZATION, FEAR OF CRIME, AND ADAPTIVE RESPONSES AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WERE VICTIMIZED.
Abstract
DATA FOR THE STUDY WERE OBTAINED FROM 1,799 STUDENTS IN ONE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. EACH RESPONDENT ANONYMOUSLY COMPLETED A SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRE. RESPONDENTS' MEAN AGE WAS 16 YEARS. OVER 47 PERCENT WERE MALE AND 75 PERCENT WERE WHITE. VICTIMIZATION WAS MEASURED BY RESPONSES TO FOUR ITEMS, EACH OF WHICH SOUGHT THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF VICTIMIZATION DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. EACH RESPONDENT WAS ASKED WHETHER HE OR SHE HAD AVOIDED CERTAIN PLACES WITHIN THE SCHOOL, OR CERTAIN GROUPS OR STUDENTS, OR HAD BROUGHT SOMETHING TO SCHOOL FOR PROTECTION AGAINST VIOLENCE. RESULTS SHOWED THAT VICTIMIZATION AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WAS WEAKLY ASSOCIATED WITH AGE AND SEX. RACE WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH VICTIMIZATION, BUT THERE WAS A WEAK RELATION WITH FEAR OF CRIME. AVOIDANCE OF PLACES WAS MORE FREQUENT AMONG FEMALES THAN MALES; AVOIDANCE OF GROUPS WAS MORE LIKELY AMONG WHITES THAN NONWHITES; AND CARRYING A WEAPON WAS MORE FREQUENTLY REPORTED BY MALES AND NONWHITES THAN BY FEMALES AND WHITES. VICTIMIZATION IS SOMEWHAT MORE EXTENSIVE AMONG OLDER THAN YOUNGER STUDENTS AND AMONG MALES THAN FEMALES. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THOSE VICTIMIZED AT SCHOOL HAVE LITTLE FEAR OF CRIME, TAKE FEW STEPS TO AVOID IT, BUT ARE MORE LIKELY TO CARRY A WEAPON SHOULD A CRIMINAL SITUATION ARISE. THE STUDY DID NOT CONSIDER THE FACTORS THAT LEAD TO VICTIMIZATION IN SCHOOLS, AND THE RELATION OF STRUCTURAL VARIABLES TO VICTIMIZATION IN SCHOOLS AND FEAR OF CRIME IS IN NEED OF SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS. TABULAR DATA AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. THE ARTICLE WAS PRESENTED AS A PAPER AT THE 1978 MEETING OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY ON CRIMINOLOGY. (MJW)