Push and Pull?: A Test of Competing Impacts of Victimization and Police Reporting on Repeat Victimization

• In Event: Impacts of Victimization and Systemic Challenges

Abstract

a) Objective
Victimization increases the risk of future victimization, while police reporting can mitigate the risk of repeat victimization. This push-and-pull dynamic unfolds over time, repeatedly influencing both victimization and reporting behavior.

b) Data/Methods
This study examines the reciprocal relationship between victimization, police reporting, and repeat victimization using a multistate Markov model. We analyze transitions among reporting victims, non-reporting victims, and non-victims over 6-month intervals, utilizing 14 waves of the National Crime Victimization Survey (2017–2023) (n = 1,796,460). Transition patterns among high-propensity groups are compared to the general population.

c) Results
Previous victimization significantly increased the likelihood of future victimization; however, reporting to the police did not reduce repeat victimization. Instead, non-reporting victims were more likely to exit victim status. Individuals who experienced repeat victimization were less likely to report subsequent incidents, with this trend particularly pronounced among high-risk groups.

d) Conclusions/Implications
Findings suggest that police reporting behavior alone is insufficient to counteract the influence of prior victimization. Individuals who did not report were more likely to exit victim status, possibly indicating a flagging effect of reporting behavior. Repeat victims were more likely to avoid reporting subsequent victimizations, remaining outside of the purview of public policy and intervention.

Authors

• Hyunjung Shim, University of Pittsburgh

• John E. Eck, University of Cincinnati