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Canadas National Survey

on Criminal Victimization:

Survey ContentPresented by Karen Mihorean,

Statistics Canada

UNECE-UNODC meeting on CrimeStatistics, January 2006

Vienna, Austria


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Objectives of the General Social

Survey Program

To gather data on trends in Canadian

society over time.

To provide information on specific policy

issues of current or emerging interest.

Annual survey with rotating topics: Education; social support; family; time use;

criminal victimization


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Survey Content

Core content

Used to monitor long term social trends.

Focus content

Used to provide information on current oremerging issues or social problems.

Classification

Allows one to examine how certain segmentsof the population are affected by the socialtrend being measured.


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Survey content

Fear

Perceptions of the justice system

Precautionary measuresCriminal victimization

Spousal violence

StalkingHate-motivated crime


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Perceptions of crime

Two general questions

Comparing crime levels in their neighbourhood to

others in their area.

Has changed in their neighbourhood.

How safe/worried you feel from crime

Walking alone in your area after dark.

Waiting for or using public transportation alone after

dark.

Home alone in the evening or at night.


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Perceptions of crime

Ask how often they partake in the activity.

If they never or seldom do these activities,

they are asked:

If you felt safer from crime, would you walk

alone/use public transportation (more

often)?

Question that measures evening activities.


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Do you think your local police force does a good

job, an average job or a poor job of

Enforcing the laws;

Promptly responding to calls; Being approachable and easy to talk to;

Supplying information to the public;

Ensuring the safety of citizens;

Treating people fairly;

Contact with the police


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Now I would like to ask you a similar questionabout the Canadian Criminal courts. Are theydoing a good job, an average job or a poor jobof:

Providing justice quickly; Helping the victim;

Determining quilt;

Ensuring a fair trial.

Perception of the sentences handed down incourt.

Contact with Canadian criminal courts.


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Do you think that the prison system does a good

job, an average job or a poor job of:

Supervising and controlling prisoners;

Helping prisoners become law-abiding citizens.

Do you think that the parole system does a good

job, an average job or a poor job of:

Releasing offenders who are not likely to commit

another offence;

Supervising offenders.


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Protection measures usedever

and past 12 monthsHave you ever done any of the following thingsto protect yourself or your property from crime?Have you ever: changed your routine, activities, or avoided certain

places? installed new locks or security bars?

installed burglar alarms or motion detector lights?

taken a self-defense course?

changed your phone number?

obtained a dog?

obtained a gun?

changed residence or moved?


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Protection measures routinely

takenDo you do any of the following things to makeyourself safer from crime? carry something to defend yourself or to alert other

people?

lock the car doors for your personal safety whenalone in a car?

when alone and returning to a parked car, check theback seat for intruders before getting into the car?

plan your route with safety in mind?

stay at home at night?In general, how satisfied are you with yourpersonal safety?


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Criminal victimization screening

questionsEight types of criminal victimization measured. Vandalism

Theft of household property

Motor vehicle/parts theft

Break and enter Theft of personal property

Physical assault

Robbery

Sexual assaultPast 12 months

Includes incidents committed by family and non-family members.


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Criminal victimization concepts

and definitions

Vandalism

During the past 12 months did anyone

deliberately damage or destroy any

property belonging to you or anyone in

your household, such as a window or a

fence?

Definition: Wilful damage of personal or

household property.


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and definitions

Robbery

During the past 12 months, did anyone

take or try to take something from you by

force or threat of force?

Definition: Theft or attempted theft in

which the perpetrator had a weapon or

there was violence or the threat of

violence against the victim.


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and definitions

Break and enter

During the past 12 months, did anyone

illegally break into or attempt to break into

your residence or any other building on

your property?

Definition: Illegal entry or attempted entry

into a residence or other building on the

victims property.


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and definitionsHousehold theft

Was anything of yours stolen during thepast 12 months from the things usually

kept outside your home, such as yardfurniture?

Definition: theft or attempted theft of

household property such as liquor,bicycles, electronic equipment, tools orappliances.


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and definitionsPersonal property theft

Was anything of yours stolen during the past 12

months from your place of work, from school or

from a public place, such as a restaurant?

Definition: theft or attempted theft of personal

property such as money, credit cards, clothing,jewellery, a purse or a wallet.


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and definitions

Motor vehicle/parts theft

Screening question on car ownership.

Did anyone steal or try to steal one ofthese vehicles or a part of one of them,such as a battery, hubcap or radio?

Definition: theft or attempted theft of a car,truck, van, motorcycle, moped or othervehicle or part of a motor vehicle.


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and definitionsPhysical assaults

Now I'm going to ask you about being attacked in thepast 12 months. An attack can be anything from beinghit, slapped, pushed or grabbed, to being shot orbeaten.

Excluding acts committed by current or previousspouses or common-law partners, were you attacked byanyone in the past 12 months?

Did anyone threaten to hit or attack you, or threaten youwith a weapon?

Definition: An attack, a face-to-face threat of physicalharm, or an incident with a weapon present.


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and definitionsSexual assaults

Has anyone forced you or attempted to force you intoany unwanted sexual activity, by threatening you,holding you down or hurting you in some way?

Has anyone ever touched you against your will in anysexual way? By this I mean anything from unwantedtouching or grabbing, to kissing or fondling.

Definition: Forced sexual activity, an attempt at forcedsexual activity, or unwanted sexual touching, grabbing,kissing, or fondling.


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Criminal victimization incident

report

Location of incident Workplace improved

Weapon

How assaulted

How threatened

Injury

Medical attention

Take time off

Alcohol/Drug related

Number of offenders

Sex & age of offender

Relationship to offender

Hate motivated

Anything stolen/damaged

Compensation

Difficulty carrying outactivities

Policewhy/why not

Formal/informal supports

Victim-offender mediation

How affected


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Spousal violence

Since 1999 part of the core content.

Emotional and financial abuse: Limits contact with family and friends;

Puts you down or calls you names to make you feel bad;

Jealous and doesnt want you to talk to other men/women; Harms, or threatens to harm, someone close to you;

Demands to know who you are with and where you are at alltimes.

Damages or destroys your possessions or property;

Prevents you from knowing about or having access to familyincome, even when you ask.


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Spousal violence

During the past 5 years has your current/previousspouse/partner Threatened to hit you with his/her fist or anything else that could

have hurt you?

Thrown anything at you that could have hurt you? Pushed, grabbed, or shoved you in a way that could have hurt

you?

Slapped you?

Kicked you, bit you, or hit you with his/her fist?

Hit you with something that could have hurt you? Beaten you?

Choked you?

Used or threatened to use a gun or knife on you?

Forced you into any unwanted sexual activity , by threatening

you, holding you down, or hurting you in some way?


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Stalking

Phoned you repeatedly or made silent or obscenephone calls?

Followed you or spied on you?

Waited outside your home?

Waited outside your place of work or school or other

places you were, when they had no business beingthere?

Sent you unwanted e-mail messages?

Sent you unwanted gifts, letters, or cards?

Persistently asked you for a date and refused to take nofor an answer?Tried to communicate with you against your will in anyother way?

Did you fear for your safety o r the safety of som eoneknown to you?


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Stalking continued

Has anyone attempted to intimidate or threatenyou by threatening or intimidating someoneelse?

Has anyone attempted to intimidate or threaten

you by hurting your pet(s) or damaging yourproperty?

Details

Length, physical attack, sex of perpetrator,

relationship to victim, changed behavior, fear,support, police contact (why/why not),restraining orders, satisfaction with justicesystem.


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Conclusion

Since 1988 the GSS on Victimization hasundergone major transformation. Improving existing measures.

Adding new survey content.

80% response rate.

Data widely disseminated through a number ofreports.

Gaps Fraud

Frequency of the survey.

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