A Legal-Victimological Study on the Complexity of Reporting Procedures and Perceived Futility of Law Enforcement in Theft Crime

Abstract

Many theft victims in densely populated residential areas choose to remain silent and refrain from reporting to the police, leading to the assumption that the actual incidence of theft is significantly higher than officially recorded. This study aims to explain the reasons why victims do not report and the role of perceived complexity of reporting procedures as well as the perceived futility of law enforcement in that decision. The study utilizes a normative-empirical approach from a victimological perspective. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with ten informants comprising seven victims, two community leaders, and one witness in Bidaracina Village, Community Unit (RW) 03, and analyzed thematically. The results reveal three primary reasons: a lack of evidence such as surveillance camera recordings, the perception that reporting procedures are lengthy and disproportionate to the loss, and the belief that reporting will yield no results. The latter belief stems not from the failure of formal restorative justice, but from informal, family-based settlements that protect perpetrators due to their proximity to influential local figures a pattern linked to perpetrator non-deterrence. This study recommends transparency in case resolution at the neighborhood (RT) and community unit (RW) levels, as well as further research linking these findings to socio-legal frameworks.