Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: In practical criminological research, we often criticize our two major measurements for broad crime trends: the UCR and the NCVS. Both series, however, can be though of as measurements for the same underlying signal, or the true crime rate. In this paper, I use state-space modeling to extract the underlying true crime signal from the UCR and the NCVS. Using the Kalman filter and Kalman smoother, maximum likelihood estimation yields estimates of the underlying crime signal. Given these results, traditional predictors of the UCR and NCVS rates can then be used to contrast and compare their effects on the true crime rate.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Research about domestic violence is extensive but comparatively little is known about the co-occurrence of spousal abuse and other forms of family violence like child abuse or sibling violence. Typically, the focus in family violence research is on one type of victim, especially spouses or children, less often siblings. Focus on a single type of victim leads to a focus on dyadic relationships, what one family member does to another. A dyadic focus ignores the family as a system, thereby also ignoring what family members do to each other. Another consequence of the dyadic perspective is that family and household level variables are often ignored, especially family structural variables. A few studies that have examined co-occurrence from an ecological perspective (Tajima, 2004; Heise, 1998) fail to examine the effect of structural variables.

This study examined the differences between households with co-occurrence of family violence and households with only one family violence victim. Using data from the 2003 National Crime Victimization Survey, the association of various independent variables (living in poverty, number of people in the household, and employment status) with co-occurrence households was studied. Co-occurrence households were significantly different than one-victim households with respect to education levels, unemployment of the respondent, if the offender was under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both, and reporting of the incident to the police. The households were not significantly different from each other regarding the respondent experiencing aggravated assault or the respondent being currently employed.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: In 2005, the Office of Violence Against Women and the Bureau of Justice Statistics developed a supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) to measure the extent and nature of the stalking victimization in the United States. Historically, statistics on stalking have been sparse and are frequently subsumed under the rubric of intimate partner violence. In contrast, the NCVS Supplemental Victimization Survey was created to provide a broader understanding of stalking victimization. This paper discusses the definitional and methodological components addressed during the creation of the supplement.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Outside of the homicide literature, little attention has been given to the frequency and characteristics of co-occurring (as compared to solo-occurring) violent victimization. Our paper seeks to examine these victimizations with an emphasis on how co-occurrence varies by gender. To study this issue, we utilize two national data sources that collect the requisite incident-level information: the National Crime Victimization Survey and the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System. Understanding the frequency and characteristics of co-occurrence can help inform victim policies and theoretical development.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Questions about identity theft were added to the National Crime Victimization Survey in July of 2004. Findings from a preliminary analysis of the first six months of data will be presented. Identity theft was defined as the use or attempted use of existing credit card accounts, other existing accounts, or personal information to obtain new accounts or commit other crimes. Differences between victimization by demographic characteristics of households will be discussed as well as characteristics of the theft such as how the victim discovered the identity theft, problems experienced as a result of the theft, and total amount of monetary loss. Methodological challenges in measuring identity theft will also be identified.