The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, July 21, 1981-Page 5
POLL SHOWS VIEWS CHANGED IN LAST FIVE YEARS
Crime a greater concern
NEW YORK (AP)-Americans overwhelmingly
say they are more concerned about crime now than
they were five years ago, the latest Associated Press-
NBC News poll says.
However, the majority of the 1,599 American adults
contacted by telephone July 13-14 said there was no
area within a mile of their homes where they would
be afraid to walk at night.
IN RESPONSE TO the question, "Are you more or
less concerned about crime than you were five years
ago, or hasn't your concern about crime changed?"
85 percent of the respondents said they are more con-
cerned.
Only 2 percent said they were less concerned about
crime now than five years ago, while 13 percent said
their level of concern had not changed.
Federal statistics indicate there has been a
significant increase in crime over the past five years,
capped by a 10 percent increase in all crime and a 13
percent increase in violent crime in 1980. A recent
U.S. Justice Department report said about 3 of every
10 American households was touched by crime last
year.
THE RISING CONCERN about crime cuts across
sex, age, race, education, and income charac-
teristics, the poll said.
Increased concern about crime was registered by
88 percent of the women, for instance, and 81 percent
of the men. Likewise, people who live in cities were
only slightly more likely than people living in rural
areas, 87 percent to 81 percent, to say their concern
about crime had increased.
While coficern about crime is increasing, the AP-
NBC News poll also said Americans are no more
likely now than three years ago to be afraid to walk at
night in their own neighborhoods.
THE POLL SAID 59 percent of the respondents said
there was no area within a mile of their home where
they would be afraid to walk at night. Forty percent
said there was an area near their homes where they
would be afraid to walk around at night. One percent
said they were not sure.
Those results are identical to responses the last
time the AP-NBC News poll asked that question in
November, 1978.
Retired people, students, housewives, and minority
group members were the most likely people to say
there was an area near their homes where they would
be afraid to walk at night, but the biggest statistical
difference was simply in the responses of men and
women.
MORE THAN HALF the women respondents, 52
percent, said there was an area within a mile of their
homes where they would be afraid to walk at night,
compared with 28 percent of the male respondents.
Among blacks, 59 percent said there was an area
near their homes where they would be afraid to walk
at night, compared with 38 percent of the whites.
Nearly half the whites who said they live in in-
tegrated neighborhoods said there were areas near
their -homes where they would be afraid to walk
around at night.
The region of the country where the most people
said they would feel safest in their neighborhoods was
the Midwest, where only 3 in 10 respondents said
there was an area within a mile of their homes where
they would be afraid to walk at night.
AS WITH ALL sample surveys, the results of the
AP-NBC polls can vary from the opinions of all
Americans because of chance variations in the sam-
ple.
For a poll based on about 1,600 interviews, the
results are subject to an error margin of 3 percentage
noints either wav becausenof such chance variations.
Woman raped
A woman was raped in her home on
the 800 block of Miller at 6 a.m. Sunday,
police said yesterday. The suspect, a 26-
year-old Ypsilanti man, apparently
visited the complainant earlier that
evening, came back and raped her. He
was arrested and is scheduled to be
arraigned later this week.
Many campus area break-ins
Of this weekend's 14 break-ins, six
were in the campus area. Angelo's
Lunch, 1100 Catherine, was robbed
between 1 p.m. Thursday and 10:30
a.m. Friday, police reported yesterday.
The thief stole three boxes of steaks and
a radio, total value of $200. Police said a
window was removed to gain entry.
More than $1700 worth of stereo and
telephone equipment and cassette tapes
was stolen from an apartment on the
1100 block of Hill, police reported
yesterday. The thief gained entry by
forcing open a window while the
residents were sleeping. The break-in
occurred between 2 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
on Friday.
An apartment on the 800 block of E.
University was broken into early
Friday morning and thieves took $1220
worth of stereo equipment, television,
and tapes. Entry was gained through
the unlocked rear door between 2:50
a.m. and 6:30 a.m.
Stereo equipment worth $950 was
stolen from an apartment on the 1600
block of Geddes between 9 p.m. Thur-
sday and 12 a.m. Friday after thieves
kicked in the basement door to gain en-
try.
An apartment on the 1100 block of S.
State was broken into between 1 a.m.
and 1:15 a.m. Sunday, police said. A
stereo receiver valued at $340 and a
purse were taken. Entry was gained
through an unlocked door.
Cold cuts and $10 in cash were taken
from an apartment on the 700 block of
Packard between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Friday. It is unknown how the thief en-
tered, but police said there was no sign
of force.
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