Cultural values v. Collective efficacy: Robust predictors for reporting victimization?i

Julie C. Abril

Abstract
Within the previous decade, much inquiry has focused on the important theoretical construct collective efficacy when attempting to understand reporting crime within heterogeneous urban and suburban populations. Until now, little work has been done to determine if collective efficacy is the most robust predictor for understanding reports of victimization among homogenous rural populations. In the study herein, it was hypothesized that cultural values
would be more robust predictors of reporting victimization than collective efficacy within a rural population. Based on Durkheim’s (1893) notion that the law reflects the values held most dear to a society and that government services reflect the law, it was then hypothesized that greater satisfaction with tribal services would be positively associated with increased reporting of victimization. Using data from the Southern Ute Indian Community Safety Survey these research questions were explored. Through a variety of analyses, the cultural values measures were found to be slightly more robust predictors of reporting victimization than collective efficacy among the rural population in this study. Using measures that better reflect the values of the group under study may be a more robust method for predicting who reports victimization.

Keywords: reporting victimization / crime, collective efficacy, cultural values, police, court, satisfaction with tribal services