Unveiling the Complexities of Crime Reporting Through Integrated Perspectives

• In Event: Poster Session 2

Abstract

This study investigates the factors influencing crime victimization reporting, focusing on both individual characteristics and situational factors, and examines their interactions using an integrated theoretical framework proposed by Xie and Baumer (2019). The framework categorizes factors into three domains: victimization and harm, external environment, and personal/household characteristics, which this study reclassifies into individual and situational factors. Individual factors include the socio-demographic characteristics of victims and their attitudes toward the police, while situational factors encompass the severity of the crime and the availability of police reporting channels. Using incident-level data from 2022 across the United States, the study finds an association between individual/situational factors and the decision to report crimes, with complex interactions between these variables. This study underscores the importance of considering the multifaceted nature of reporting behaviors and the need for comprehensive strategies to encourage crime reporting.

Author

• Seungyeon Song, University of Missouri-St.Louis