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