Highlights
Millions experience emotional problems.
Author
Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.
Former senior crime prevention and statistics specialist at the Ministry of Justice Clearinghouse. Former Director of Information Services, National Crime Prevention Council. Former adjunct associate professor of criminology and public affairs at the University of Maryland, University College. Former police officer. Retired federal senior spokesperson.
Former advisor to presidential and gubernatorial campaigns. Former advisor to the national media campaign “McGruff-Take a Bite Out of Crime.” Successful media campaigns against crime produced by the state.
Thirty-five years leading award-winning (50+) public relations for state and national criminal justice agencies. Interviewed thousands of times by every national news outlet, often focusing on crime statistics and research. Created the first state and federal podcast series. Produced a unique and emulated style of proactive government public relations.
Certificate of Advanced Study – Johns Hopkins University.
Author of ”Media Success: Everything You Need to Survive Reporters and Your Organization‘ available from Amazon and other booksellers.
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Article
As a police officer, I responded to a call for an active burglary. When I arrived, I was greeted outside by a frantic mother and children claiming that someone was in the basement. Investigation revealed that no one was present and that there were no indications that a burglary had occurred.
However, the wife and children were desperate (understatement). They begged me to stay. The problem was that my calls were backing up; I had the woman call my supervisor to get permission to stay. After about 30 minutes they were calm enough to leave.
One of the impressions of police work is how powerful all forms of victimization are for those affected. People move because of crime. I knew a new television executive moved from Baltimore City because his garage had been broken into three times to steal bicycles. He wanted to experience city life, but moved his family close to the Pennslyvania line in northern Baltimore County.
The findings below from the USDOJ’s National Crime Victimization Survey undermine the impact of crime by focusing on violent crime, when the reality is that many are devastated by property crime; Victims often think that the perpetrator will return. They spend thousands of dollars on security equipment. They buy firearms. The stories of identity theft victims losing their life savings are heartbreaking.
Readers should understand that all criminal activity (or perceptions of criminal activity) has the potential to significantly change (destroy?) communities.
What amazes me and others is that the plight of crime victims is routinely ignored by policymakers and the media. It’s as if victimhood is something they have to get over and move on with their lives.
We wouldn’t do that with people who have serious medical or mental health problems, or with members of marginalized groups who experience attacks; we are ready to march in the streets for everyone except crime victims.
Why is that?
National Crime Victimization Survey
Violent victimization is known to impact the lives of victims, including negatively impacting their social and emotional well-being. Social-emotional impact of violence Crime. In the National Crime Victimization SurveyThe social-emotional consequences of crime include moderate to severe emotional problems, significant problems with friends or family, and significant problems with one’s job or schoolwork. Victims reflect the total number of times individuals have been victims of a crime.
Key findings
- In total, 68% of victims of serious violence experienced social-emotional problems as a result of their victimization
- Nearly half of all violent victims (47%) resulted in moderate to severe suffering for the victim. About 22% of violent victims resulted in the victim experiencing significant problems with family or friends, and 18% caused significant problems with their job or schoolwork.
- More than half of victims of rape or assault (63%), theft (59%), and aggravated assault (52%) resulted in moderate to severe distress to the victim, compared to less than half of victims of simple assault (40%) .
- The victim reported significant problems with family or friends in 18% of simple assault victims, which was lower than the rates for rape or sexual assault (34%), theft (30%), and aggravated assault victims (26%).
- The victim reported significant problems with work or schoolwork after 13% of robbery victims and 15% of simple assault victims, both lower than the rates reported after rape or sexual assault victims (29%) and aggravated assault ( 22%).
- A greater percentage of female than male victims experienced social-emotional problems, regardless of the type of violence or the relationship between victim and perpetrator.
- The majority (91%) of violent crime victims with social-emotional problems experienced one or more emotional symptoms for a month or longer. Most (61%) experienced one or more physical complaints for a month or longer.
- About 9 in 10 victims of intimate partner violence who lived in households headed by single women experienced social-emotional problems
