Criminology Research Council grant ; (21/86)
This study, based on structured interviews with households in four Brisbane residential suburbs, investigated three main factors: (i) the perception by householders of crime in their suburbs; (ii) the household's actual experience of crime over the twelve months preceding the survey, crime reporting rates and the reasons for not reporting crime; and (iii) awareness of the Queensland Police Department's security advice service.
Just over one-third (35.2per cent) of the households responding had been victims of crime over the twelve months previous to the surveys. The most common crime, in terms of number of incidents, was nuisance calls; in terms of number of households affected it was burglary/breaking and entering.
Overall, only about one quarter (24.6 per cent) of incidents were reported to the police. The rate of reporting was lowest for nuisance calls (7 per cent) and robbery with violence (25 per cent); highest for motor vehicle theft (94 per cent) and burglary / breaking and entering (76 per cent). The main reasons given for not reporting crime to the police were that the offence was 'trivial' (often linked with a suspicion the incident was the work of children; or the statement that the police were already over- worked dealing with other more 'serious' offences) or that it was felt the police could not or would not, do anything about the crime.
Overall, the results support the need for a preventative community based model of policing rather than a 'fire fighting' approach. There was a strong support for a greater police visibility, in terms of additional patrols, longer opening hours for police stations and more policemen and policewomen. But people are also well aware both that crime is a community concern and that the roots of crime extend beyond the individual of- fender and the realm of the police force. They supported better employment and recreation opportunities for youth, better control by parents of children, and closer interaction amongst members of the community.