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Crime and Neighborhoods

CONCERN ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME DOUBLES AMONG BLACK HOUSEHOLDS

U.S. Department of Justice

ADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 5 P.M. EST BJS
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 1994 202-307-0784

CONCERN ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME DOUBLES
AMONG BLACK HOUSEHOLDS

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Concern about neighborhood crime has
increased twice as rapidly among black households as among white
households, according to a new analysis by the Bureau of Justice 
Statistics (BJS). 
 
BJS, the Department of Justice's statistics agency, utilized the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development's biennial household 
survey data about residents' views of neighborhood problems. The 
findings were similar to BJS's National Crime Victimization 
Surveys, which show violent crime is highest among black 
households and those in central cities. 
 
The BJS report noted that in 1991 black households were about 
three times more likely than were white households to cite 
neighborhood crime as a serious concern. During the 1985-1991 
period, the percentage of white households expressing concern 
about crime near their homes grew from 4 percent to 6 percent, 
whereas among black households it almost doubled--growing from 9 
percent to almost 17 percent. Black households in central cities 
that cited crime as a neighborhood problem rose from 12 
percent to 23 percent. 
 
In 1991 crime was the number one neighborhood concern of black 
central city households. Less frequently mentioned neighborhood 
problems were noise (12 percent), litter or housing deterioration 
(8), traffic (6), poor public services (3), undesirable commercial 
property (2) and other problems (9 percent). Half the households 
identified no problem in their neighborhood. 

Many convicted offenders report committing crimes near where they
lived. For example, BJS's 1991 survey of state prison inmates 
disclosed that 43 percent of prisoners were serving time for 
offenses committed in their own neighborhoods. This included 45 
percent of violent offenders and 52 percent of drug offenders.
 
Single copies of the BJS Crime Data Brief, "Crime and 
Neighborhoods" (NCJ-147005), as well as other BJS statistical 
reports may be obtained from the BJS Clearinghouse, Box 179, 
Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701-0179. 
The telephone number is 1-800-732-3277. 
Fax orders to 410-792-4358.


Owning Topic : T=BJS Press Releases - 93 E= 373 Type = e


Date Published: June 19, 1994