Quote: It is true the Heights does have less gang activity then other parts of the city but they do have gangs involved in violent crimes. It is just at much lower levels then the West and South Precinct's have.

It is impossible to gage what percentage fear retribution but in the Heights I would think it to be less of a fear there since the violent crime is generally low over all. To answer your question though yes when it comes to armed assaults the likely hood is high the victim is involved in crime. The problem with this is unless you have inside knowledge of the crime you will never know which is the case. In general younger people or people with younger family members have this fear more then someone middle aged or older not involved in crime.

But just to show you while rarer then areas with high concentrations of gangs it is not unheard of in the Heights. Here is a link to a murder that happened in the Heights when a man was killed by a Bloods member for identifying him for carjacking the victim.
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... oods_gang_member_fac.html

Now like I said in another topic report the crimes that happened to you by all means you are more likely to be a victim of a crime of a drug addict who will just take the plea deal and leave you alone then an actual gang member targeting you for an attack. Just don't blame others when they choose not to cooperate because they might have a genuine fear for safety.

From what I've learned from the North Precinct's Community Affairs Office - there is very little gang activity in the Heights. I would be surprised if someone seriously expected retribution from an actual "gang" if they reported something like this. Not to lay blame - or even criticism for that matter - at the victim's doorstep, but I just don't get not calling this in - there has to be more to this, but what?

A related question, since the topic of victims not cooperating with police keeps coming up - what % of victims genuinely fear retribution, and what % are somehow involved with the illegal scene?

This clears things up:

"The victim told police he did not want further police action, according to the report. He hadn't called police ? officers responded to the scene when a resident called to report a trail of blood on the sidewalk leading to the victim's home, the report says."

If the victim is able to believe things, the guy probably wasn't wearing brass knuckles.

Terrence T. McDonald | The Jersey Journal

A Jersey City Heights neighborhood is on edge one week after a Hopkins Avenue man taking out his trash was beaten by a someone wearing what the victim believes were brass knuckles.

The area, located just north of State Highway, has "gone from great to bad," said Bhavin Patel, who has lived on Hopkins Avenue for 22 years.

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