The professional journal Criminology published an analysis that was done on reasons for reporting and not reporting domestic violence to the police in August of 2002. In the study, various factors were examined to determine the reasoning behind the reporting and not reporting trends. These factors include: privacy concerns, fear of reprisal, the desire to protect one's offender, self-protection, trivial matters, and police leniency. Throughout the analysis authors, Felson, Messner, Hoskin, and Deane attempt to prove various hypotheses dealing with the role of victim-offender relationship and gender. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) was used as the source of statistical information needed to carry out the investigation. .
To begin Felson, Messner, Hoskin, and Deane attempt to break down the decision making process victim's use for calling the police. They measure "mediating" processes, focusing on incentives and costs associated with victim reporting (Felson et al., 2002). They hypothesize that victims are more likely to report incidents to the police when incentives are high and cost are low they also perceive the victims" decision making process from a "rational framework" (Felson et al., 2002). Each of these areas is seen as a contributing factor to the decision making process of victims. Felson, Messner, Hoskin, and Deane use cost and incentives as the basis for measuring calling patterns in this analysis.
Felson, Messner, Hoskin, and Deane (2002) explain that "literature suggests" that there are at least three reasons for assault victims to call the police. As noted by the references in the article, these reasons are; protection, retribution/justice, and protection of a third party (p. 3). In this case the reward for reporting an assault is greater than the consequence. .
The cost for reporting assaults has a must higher emphasize place upon it. Felson, Messner, Hoskin, and Deane again show that literature suggest there are "five cost factors" that keep victims from calling the police.
