Deviant Lifestyles and the Reporting of Physical Victimization to Police

This study examines the role that deviance plays in reducing the willingness of victims of violence to report to the authorities. Using data from several thousand individuals in the United States, the author found conditional support for the deviance/reporting link. For instance, victims using drugs were no more or less likely to report than those who did not use drugs. But if they were high or drunk during the victimization, they were less likely to report.