A look at the results of the International Crime Victim Survey Istanbul

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A look at the results of the International Crime
Victim Survey Istanbul
Safety and Security in Turkey

• Galma Jahic, MA and Asli
  Akdas, PhD
• Istanbul Bilgi University
  Dogus University

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Methodology

• How did we collect data?
• Face-to-face interviews
• ICVS questionnaire translated and adapted to
  Turkish
• Who did we interview?
• 1242 persons living in Istanbul
• 50 female

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Methodology

• How did we select participants?
• 100 neighborhoods selected randomly from 670
  neighborhoods of Istanbul
• Relative economic status of each street assigned
  by comparing average property tax of the street
  with that of the neighborhood
• If higher, High status, if lower Low status, if
  about the same Middle status
• From each neighborhood, two streets from each
  status groups selected randomly.
• From each street two households selected
  randomly.
• 2 households 2 streets 3 status 100
  neighborhoods 1200 households.
• Response rate 45.

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Who were the participants?Age average 34 years
old
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Crime definitions

• Car theft
• Theft of a car.
• Theft of car parts not included
• Theft from a car
• Theft of car parts or of anything from inside the
  car, or of something that was left in the car.

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• Burglary
• Breaking into a home.
• Even if nothing was stolen, to be included.
• Breaking into an office, summer home, storage
  space, or garage not included.
• If offender tried to break in but did not manage,
  not included.
• Attempted burglary
• Unsuccessful burglary, the offender tried but did
  not manage to enter someones home.

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• Robbery
• Theft that takes place with the use of force or
  threat.
• Theft
• Larceny with no use of threat or force
• For example, pickpocketing.
• Assaults
• Any violent act or threat of use of violence, but
  where there is no goal of theft
• Not included when robbery

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• Consumer Fraud
• Being deceived or misled regarding the quantity
  or quality of goods or services one purchased.
• Bribe/corruption
• Being demanded to give money or service or goods
  in exchange for a service that one has a right
  to.
• For example, having to pay a bribe to a
  prosecutor in order for him to investigate your
  complaint.
• Offering money or goods or services to obtain
  something one does not have a right to not
  included
• For example, paying off police officer when
  driving intoxicated.

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5 year victimization rates (Prevalence for years
2000-2005)
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1 year victimization rates (prevalence, for year
2004)
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How does Istanbul fare, compared to other
European cities?
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How does Istanbul fare, compared to other
European cities?
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How does Istanbul fare, compared to other
European cities?
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How does Istanbul fare, compared to other
European cities?

• In 49 of cases offender had a weapon
• Weapon was used in only a few cases
• In 35 of cases, robbery not successfull.

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How does Istanbul fare, compared to other
European cities?

• In 50 cases, victims knew the offender
• In ? of cases no actual violence used, just
  verbal assaults and threats
• In ? of cases, offender had a weapon
• Injury occured in 11 of cases.

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How does Istanbul fare, compared to other
European cities?
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How does Istanbul fare, compared to other
European cities?
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Reporting victimization to police in Istanbul
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Trust in policeFrom Justice Watch
researchFor more details, check
www.adaletgozet.org
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Reporting to police

• Most frequently cited reasons for reporting
• Theft form car, burglary, robbery
• To get my stuff back
• These things should get reported
• So that offenders gets punished

• Most frequently cited reasons for NOT reporting
• Theft form car, burglary, robbery, assault
• Police could not/would not do anything
• It was not that serious

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Satisfaction with police response
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Reasons for dissatisfaction with police response
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Fear of crime
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How safe do you feel walking around your
neighborhood on your own, after dark?
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How safe do you feel walking around your
neighborhood on your own, after dark?
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Fear of crime and previous victimizationHow
likely do you think it is for your home to get
burglarised in the next 12 months?
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So, what does all this mean?

• Is there a crime explosion?
• Reported victimization rates are high for some
  offences, yet low for others, compared to other
  EU cities
• Offences that involve proximity between offender
  and victim lower
• Is crime on the rise?
• Impossible to tell. No data to compare.
• Is it true that police is having hard time
  fighting crime?
• Reporting rates are among lowest in Europe.
• Satisfaction and trust in police is also low,
  however.
• Clearly there is space for improvement.

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Galma Jahic Dr. Asli
Akdas gjahic_at_bilgi.edu.tr
aatamer_at_bilgi.edu.tr