Ninety percent of domestic abuse victims in 1998 did not report one or more incidents to police, according to a report released today by Minnesota Planning. Keeping watch: 1999 Minnesota crime survey details findings from a statewide survey on citizens’ perceptions of crime and law enforcement in their communities, as well as personal experiences with crime in 1998.
"The vast majority of Minnesotans feel safe in their community," said Dean Barkley, director of Minnesota Planning. "That’s great news but this report also shows that most victims are unlikely to report crimes to police. This is unacceptable."
Findings include:
One quarter of respondents were victims of crime in 1998; this is a slight drop from the 30 percent who were victims of crime in 1995.
People are more likely to not report crimes to police: 63 percent of 1995 victims and 67 percent of 1998 victims did not report one or more crimes.
Thirty-four percent of violent crime victims in 1998 felt they experienced a hate or bias motivated crime.
Of respondents who have a firearm in their home and children under age 16, 37 percent did not keep the firearm in a stored place or trigger-locked.
In 1998, males accounted for more than three-quarters of those who carried a firearm to make them feel safe outside their home.
Ninety-two percent feel always or almost always safe in their community. This is the third crime survey conducted by Minnesota Planning to analyze responses to questions about the level of safety within community, the fear of crime, and victimization experiences, along with the number of crimes that go unreported to police. An electronic version of the report can be found at the Minnesota Planning Web site.
