Crime Victimisation in India (Springer Series on Asian Criminology and Criminal Justice Research)

This edited volume is a pioneering and comprehensive study of crime victimisation in India. Relying on the findings of four crime victimisation surveys conducted in India, it provides a unique basis for understanding crime in society. It considers the publics fear of crime and perceptions of safety and security, focusing on their access to the police and how they view police effectiveness. This study provides critical data on the level of crime within particular spatial and temporal conditions which can supplement official statistics on crime published by the state, help systematically diagnose law and order issues and develop solutions for improved policing and public safety. A unique and timely volume, this book will be of interest to researchers of Asian criminology, victimology and the study of the criminal justice system, as well as those interested in empirical research and policy making in criminal justice. Forms a pioneering study of crime victimisation in India Conducts a rigorous empirical analysis of crime victimisation in India and supports evidence-based policy making for the Indian criminal justice system Evaluates public perceptions of safety and security and performance of the police Contents About the Editors Chapter 1: Crime Victimisation Surveys in Indian Criminal Justice System Reform 1 The Criminal Justice System in the Larger Context of State Building 2 Building the Criminal Justice System 3 The Role of Measurement Inputs Outputs Outcomes 4 Crime Victimisation Surveys in India 5 The Way Forward 6 Conclusion References Chapter 2: Crime Victimization and Safety Perception Survey: Delhi and Mumbai 1 Introduction 2 CHRI 2015 Survey: Sampling and Survey Methodology Survey Structure Sampling Survey Administration Weights 3 Key Findings Crime Incidence and Characteristics Each Crime Was Experienced at Least Once in Both Delhi and Mumbai Theft Was the Most Frequently Experienced Crime in Both Cities Experience of Assault Slightly More in Mumbai than Delhi Sexual Harassment Instances Were Higher in Delhi than in Mumbai Offender Not Known to the Victim in Most of the Crimes Covered Demographic Profile of Affected Households High-Income Households Less Affected by Crime Compared to Low-Income Households Experience of Crime Comparable across Religion, Caste, Mother Tongue, and Period of Stay in City Crime Reporting and Police Response Low and Inconsistent Rate of Reporting Crimes to the Police Victims of Crime Are Reluctant to Engage with the Criminal Justice System Less than Half of the Cases Reported to the Police Were Registered Only Half of Those Who Reported Crime to the Police Were Satisfied with the Police Response Perceptions of Safety Residents of Mumbai Perceive the Police More Positively than Delhi Residents Respondents Most Feared Falling Victim to Theft, Assault, or Sexual Harassment Households in Delhi Begin Feeling Unsafe, Even in Their Own Neighbourhoods, Earlier in the Evening than Those in Mumbai Travel at Night Is Considered More Unsafe in Delhi than in Mumbai 4 Learning and Way Forward Survey Questionnaire (English and Hindi) Project Vishwas Setu Crime Victimization and Safety Perception Survey References Chapter 3: Safety Trends and Reporting of Crime (SATARC): A Crime Victimisation Survey 1 Introduction 2 Sampling and Survey Methodology Sample Design Survey Instrument Definition of Crimes Outline of the Survey Survey Execution Training Ethics Review and Consent Administration and Data Collection 3 Key Findings Summary Statistics of the Random Sample Crime Incidence Underreporting of Crime: Survey Results in Comparison to Official Records Reporting to and Satisfaction with Police Opinion on Police Safety Perceptions and Adaptive Behaviours 4 Learning and Way Forward Annexure Summary Statistics of the Random Sample Survey Questionnaire (English) Safety Trends and Reporting of Crime (SATARC) Survey (2016) References Chapter 4: Status of Policing in India Reports: 2018 and 2019 1 Introduction 2 Sampling and Survey Methodology Survey Design Questionnaire Design Survey Execution 3 Key Findings 4 Learning and Way Forward Survey Questionnaire (English) References Chapter 5: The Karnataka Crime Victimization Survey 2018–2019: A Primer for a National Crime Victim Survey 1 Introduction 2 Sampling and Survey Methodology Sampling Strategy Sampling Method Questionnaire Scope and Design Survey Administration 3 Key Findings 4 Learning and Way Forward Survey Questionnaire (English and Kannada) References Index