Why Do Victims Fail to Report? The Psychology of Criminal Victimization

Abstract

This article reviews emotional and cognitive reactions to critninal victimization. It draws connections between the contents of these reactions and tictims' reluctance to report the crime to authorities. Since betweea ~~~ thakkaj all crimes are not so reported. understanding these connections is critical. We argue thar nonreporting I S the result of three,fuctors acting singly or in concert: ( a ) victim fear, (b) feelings of helplessness and the perceived powerlessness of police, and ( c ) the threat of further victimizution ,from authoritieJ. We believe victims react in relativel-y rational ways. Despite the apparent loss of control and the strong fear engendered by the experience, the victimization does not lead people to report it to authorities. Instead, reporting to police is often realistically viewed by victims as ineffective and potentially costly.Are victims reluctant to report crimes committed against them'? The answer, though affirmative, is not an unequivocal yes. A National Crime Survey conducted in 1979, for instance, showed that-onk about30% of all personal crimes and 36% of all 'nst households were made known to t&_pelrce (U.S. Department of Justice, 198 1). There was considerable variation in reporting rates within these broaCI categories. Among offenses against the person, crimes of violence, characterized by an overall reporting rate of 45%, ranged from a 33% rate for assault without a weapon to a high of 66% for robbery with injury from a serious assault. Reporting rates for offenses against property also fluctuated. Whereas 48% of the burglaries were reported, 25% of the household larcenies Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Robert F.

Police Reporting and Professional Help Seeking for Child Crime Victims: A Review

“…In studies of adult crime victims, some of the barriers voiced by victims were about the time and financial losses that might be incurred (Freedy, Resnick, Kilpauick, Dansky, & Tidwell, 1994;Kidd & Chayet, 1984). There has been little examination of this factor in regard to juvenile victims.…”

“…In adult studies, victims' concerns about reporting have ranged from fear of embarrassment to fear of retaliation by the perpetrator (Greenberg & Ruback, 1992;Kilpatrick, Best, Saunders, & Veronen, 1988) and concerns about being revictimized by the system. Rape victims often are concerned about not being believed o r being blamed (Bachman, 1993;Kidd & Chayet, 1984), and battered women may fear retaliation and loss of financial support or may have mixed feelings about the offender (Coulter & Chez, 1997;Fleury, Sullivan, Bybee, & Davidson, 1998). Finally, the adult crime victim's sense of powerlessness and related perception of the police as unable to intervene effectively may contribute to the decision not to file a police report (Kidd & Chayet, 1984).…”

Third parties: victims and the criminal justice system

“…See also the results of the 1989 International Crime Survey ( Van Dijk et al, 1990:69); and cf. Kidd and Chayet (1984).…”

Natural Language Processing and e-Government: Extracting Reusable Crime Report Information

“…Victims and witnesses have many reasons for not reporting a crime [3,4]. Among these reasons, fear of repercussion, embarrassment or shame, believing the crime is too insignificant or a personal issue, believing that reporting will not make a difference, and being unable to reach an authority are often cited [5].…”

“…Blind reporting works under the assumption that victims are willing to report, invest the time, and bear the inconvenience of reaching authorities. Kidd and Chayet [3] indicate that victims weigh the cost and benefits of reporting criminal acts before making a decision to report. Therefore, reporting methods that reduce cost (e.g., time spent at police station) and concerns (e.g., fear of repercussions) have to be available.…”