Students also consulted with Dr. Susan Prows of Oregon State University, Benton County Commissioner Kent Daniels, and Corvallis Mayor Helen Berg. A representative sample of Benton County residents was selected by a random generation of telephone numbers within the County. LBCC students, via telephone, asked participants a series of questions about their personal victimization, demographics, and their perceptions of crime and safety within Benton County. There is no statistically significant distinction between victims and non-victims as to how safe they feel. Now there is work to do to figure out what public safety agencies can do to create an environment in which women feel safer.
Property crimes are the most common offense in Benton County, echoing the nation-wide trend.
Although the rate of report for property crimes in Benton County is quite high, not all crimes are reported at the same rate. This makes it extremely difficult for policy makers to calculate, with accuracy, the funding necessary to properly service community safety needs. In regards to the victims' relationship to the offenders, property crimes are most likely to be committed by a stranger. Person crimes, or crimes of violence, are more likely to be committed by someone the victims know. This matches the national trends noted by the Department of Justice.