CRIME CASE REPORTING AND THE OBSERVABLE IMPACT ON ITS VICTIMS

CRIME CASE REPORTING AND THE OBSERVABLE IMPACT ON ITS VICTIMS

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1. 1. Background to the study

Crime is a social problem that every society seeks to address. Once a crime occurs, it instantly throws up different layers of victims. In the dynamics of victimisation and social reactions to it, crime reporting plays a critical role. Therefore, public concern over human exposure to violence and its disproportionate reporting by victims and witnesses in society is not new. Given the obvious forms of violence in present-day society, public interest has come to be focussed on what Alemika (2004) described as the several difficulties that influence the collection of reliable statistics on criminal activity and victimisation in Nigeria. Apparently, the unwillingness of victims and witnesses to report crimes to the authority is probably the most disturbing of the challenges facing the collection of crime data. The National Crime victimisation Survey (NCVS), British Crime Survey (BCS) and Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) all indicate that as few as 38 - 42% of crime is reported and the „dark figure‟ of unreported crime may make up as much as half of some categories of crime (Page, McLeod, Kinver, Iliasov & Yoon, 2009). Since crime takes an infinite physical, financial and emotional toll on its victims, no national characteristics, no political regime, no system of law, police, justice, punishment, treatment or even terror has rendered a country exempt from crime (Radzinowicz & King, 1979). Nevertheless, criminal acts and their report must go together so as to establish the rate of recurrence and spatial coverage of crime, update crime data, properly reward victims and punish offenders.

The foregoing logic must have led Azfar and Gurgur (2008) to consider the protection of the person and property of citizens one of the central roles of government. Thus, the concerns of crime victims and non-victims about exposure towards crime will be significant not just in Europe and the former Soviet Union (Roberts, Stickley, Petticrew & McKee, 2010), but also in America (Skogan & Maxfield, 1981) and in Africa (Roberts, 2010). To become the gatekeeper of the criminal justice system (Hindelang & Gottfredson, 1976), then, one of the most important decisions which victims must take in the aftermath of their victimisation is whether or not to notify the police (Greenberg & Beach, 2004). It is a paradox however that in the regions of the world where more crime occurs; the police know less about it (Alvazzi del Frate, 2003).

In the West, about 25 per cent of the people are crime victims every year and around one in five of them is victimised more than once (Van Kesteren, Mayhew & Nieuwbeerta, 2000). Thus, building safer and less violent communities is a major challenge facing nearly all states and local communities throughout the world. The pool of unrecorded crime arising from the reluctance of victims and witnesses to report their victimisation experiences has several critical consequences. Some of these limit the deterrent capability of the criminal justice system, contribute to the misallocation of police resources, render victims ineligible for public and private benefits, affect insurance costs and help to shape the police role in society (Skogan, 1977a) as well as cause a self–denial of the opportunity to turn to the criminal justice system (Van der Vijver, 1993).

Nonetheless, victim reports are the most important source of information for the police on where crimes are committed and where police efforts are needed (Greenberg & Ruback, 1992; Hindelang & Gottfredson, 1976; Mayhew, 1993; Warner, 1992). With a prevailing climate of great public concern about security, and the recognized limitations of the police to respond to rising crime levels, most citizens treat the question of crime reporting with a measure of scepticism. These make victims‟ tendency to report crime a key determinant in shaping the

statistics recorded by the police and also in providing a broader understanding of how crime impacts different individuals, communities and neighbourhoods (Tarling & Morris, 2010). Little wonder then that a rising literature probes the reasons for victims‟ willingness to report  (Fohring, 2010).

Though research based on large scale victimisation surveys tends to suggest similar factors influencing victims‟ decisions to report such as the perceived seriousness of the offence, the victims‟ relationship to the offender, and the value of items lost or damaged (Skogan, 1984; Baumer & Lauritson, 2010; Tarling & Morris, 2010), a proliferation of theories suggesting the use of a cost‐benefit calculation; a cognitive tool which victims use to weigh the potential pros and cons of reporting to the police (Bowles, Reyes, Garoupa, 2009 & Cohen, 2005) also exists. On the other hand, social psychological research using interviews with community samples of victims and students in laboratory settings has led to the development of a theoretical model. In this context, the victim‟s decision process is construed of as consisting of three stages: labelling the event, determining its seriousness, and deciding what to do (Greenberg & Ruback, 1992). Furthermore, these theories do not rely solely on a „cold‟ and calculated method of backward induction, but consider the importance of victims‟ emotional reactions following an incident, and the social influence of close others (Greenberg & Beach, 2004).

However, in traditional societies where written laws did not exist, informal sanctions deterred deviations from the social norm (Akhilomen, 2006). There was no formal reporting procedure that was associated with that epoch. So, anyone whose interest was then criminally injured simply approached the chief priest. In such a society, some victims sought „personal justice‟ and retaliated against the offender (Topalli, Wright & Fornango, 2002), some avoided those who harmed them altogether, some reported to Ogboni and Oro cults (Chukwuma & Ibidapo-Obe, 1995) and age grades (Emiola, 1997). Reporting crime was then not as hazardous, detested and repressed as it is nowadays. At that time, anyone who reported a crime was rendering a culturally useful public service. But in more socially complex societies in which the police have emerged as the primary means for promoting and maintaining social order with their complicated limitations (Akhilomen, 2006), the story has lamentably altered. No matter how concerned a government is about social order in its jurisdiction, its crime control efforts may fail to achieve its mandate of crime control. Victims of crime should acknowledge the reality, intensity, frequency, spatial coverage and impact of crime by reporting their experiences of crime. In the Netherlands, for example, only slightly more than a third of the crimes were reported to the police by or on behalf of the victims in 2002 (Eggen, 2003).

Gyong (1996) studied crime reporting in Nigeria. But his study site was Kaduna. Cleen foundation has studied crime reporting in Lagos. Its major limitation has always been that it treats crime reporting in association with other important variables of crime and social control or at best including Lagos in nationwide surveys. Therefore, these have always made the rigor which crime reporting, as a major research area, deserves to elude this all important public safety issue. Realising that the events, which are not officially known, will evade attempts to redress their untoward effects (Skogan, 1977b), this study commits itself to examining the correlates of crime reporting among victims in Lagos. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to add new knowledge to the body of already existing literature. It is against this backdrop that this study bridged a gap in knowledge by studying the correlates of crime reporting in the Nigerian context, using Lagos metropolitan areas. 

1.2 Statement of the Problem.

Many societies all over the world have had to contend with the consequences of criminal activities, which include lives and properties fear of the unknown, political instability, victimization by conventional criminals, amongst others.(Fayeye, 2010.)

Even though a member of the society reports a crime to a law enforcement officer, it would not be counted unless it is recorded in a way that allows it to be incorporated into the crime statistics, as a consequence, offending particularly minor offending, may be significantly under counted in situations where law enforcement officers are overloaded with work or do not perceive the offending as worth recording. Some crimes reported are not done in a way that the actual event of things is made known. These crimes lack uniformity, which produce obvious difficulties in actually investigating and solving the crimes that are reported. Another causal factor may include the time frame of the crime. A firsthand account is relatively low. For example by the time a robbery case is being reported, the robbers will probably have fled the victims in the hospital, answering police questions if any is around or even in the mortuary.

Certain behavior are labeled deviant which in actual fact may not be, according to the criminal code of that particular society. Members of the society (victims and witnesses), are most times ignorant of criminal laws. When such behaviors are reported, they are more or less unimportant. Crimes known to police (CKP), already certified as reported may not be analyzed as desired by victims of such immoral acts. Charges may be dropped, even when the perpetrator is arrested. Such is the situation when there is lack of evidence. Another popular incidence is the arrest of innocent persons in place of those that actually committed the crimes. This maybe as a result of being in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Pleading guilty to a crime, lower than that which an offender commits is another major problem. In most cases, it reduces the levity of punishment and sentence becomes inproportionate to the actual crime committed. Also among the problems associated with crime reporting, is the dependency of skills on both the prosecuting counsel and defense counsel, with convictions and acquaintances actually depending on the professional skills of both counsels.

Another problem associated with the procedure of reporting crimes is the inconsistencies involved in information given out by the so-called witnesses, when crimes are being investigated. The illiterate nature of most citizens about the legal and criminal code of its society poses a greater threat. Some just give information about a crime thinking that by doing so; they will be popular, given money for coming forth with’ vital information’. With this, they say or do anything to act as if they were present when the crime occurred. This scenario drastically slows down the process of justice.

1.3   Aims and Objectives.

The motive behind carrying out this research work is to properly and carefully scrutinize the effect of behavior  contrary to the formal law in the society, on its victims and to achieve the following aims;

- To assess the actual level of crime as against reported crimes.

- To highlight the effect or impact of such reported crimes on their victims. identify

- To make practical suggestions on how to reduce the negative effects of crimes.

- To suggest ways in which criminals are to be punished, for correction.

- To ascertain who exactly can be held responsible for widespread of criminal activities.

1.4 Research Question

- what is the actual level of crime as against reported crimes ?

- what is the effect or impact of such reported crimes on their victims ?

-  what are the ways to reduce the negative effects of crimes ?

- what ways in which criminals are to be punished, for correction ?

- who exactly can be held responsible for widespread of criminal activities.?

1.5   Significance of the Study.

Most importantly, this research work is to contribute to the knowledge of the criminal activities and how they may be reduced or at most eradicated.

It shall also act as a basis for further investigation or scrutinization on crime reporting and the various psychological social effects on its victims.

Lastly, it is an attempt to bring into limelight; some of the errors involved in the process of crime reporting and suggest likely solutions on how to improve these services.

1.6    Scope of Study.

This research work is basically concerned with the major effect of crime reporting on the victims and the impact of proper investigation of criminal activities amongst members of the Lagos metropolitan areas.

For the purpose of accurate and effective research work, the study is restricted to a selected sample, from the entire metropolis, a representative of a fair proportion as a whole.

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