November 12, 1997 For Immediate Release

University of Northern British Columbia researchers are sending out 2000 questionnaires to randomly selectected Prince George households this week to obtain information about residents' experiences as victims of criminal activity.

Working in partnership with the local RCMP, the questionnaires are designed to measure knowledge of criminal activity, feelings about personal and family security, and the experiences that influence their knowledge and emotions.

Previous local surveys of quality of life in 1994 and 1997 revealed that the top three things residents would do to improve Prince George would be to reduce crime, reduce air pollution, and beautify the downtown area. "This new survey is an immediate response to those earlier findings," says UNBC professor Alex Michalos. "We need to know more about people's perceptions, attitudes, feelings, and behavioural accommodations related to crime. We also need some baseline data to begin searching for trends and appropriate official responses to those trends."

Prince George residents have been very helpful in the past by completing and returning the questionnaires promptly.