The Crime Experiences of the Amish

Authors

  • Joseph F. Donnermeyer The Ohio State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18061/jpac.v4i2.9766

Keywords:

emic, etic, Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Diary, crime, victimization

Abstract

There is little published research in peer-reviewed journals about Amish experiences with crime, with the exception of work by Byers and colleagues (Byers, 2008; Byers & Crider, 2002; Byers et al., 1999). The purpose of this article is to explore the crime experiences of the Amish, based on reports by scribes found under “Community Notes” in The Diary, one of several periodicals devoted to reporting news and events from Amish communities. Two hundred forty narratives of Amish crime experiences from 13 years’ worth of The Diary (January 2010 through December 2022) were collected and organized by crime type. Based on these narratives, there are two important findings. First, crime is not infrequent, with a diversity of crime experiences, ranging from burglary to armed robbery. Second, the most frequently described incidents in these narratives were property crimes, such as burglary/attempted burglary, larceny/attempted larceny, scams/attempted scams, and vandalism. The article concludes with recommendations for future research about crime and the Amish, suggestions for culturally appropriate educational materials for crime prevention in Amish homes and businesses, and suggestions for more effective cooperation between the Amish and the criminal justice system.

Author Biography

Joseph F. Donnermeyer, The Ohio State University

Dr. Joseph F. Donnermeyer is a professor emeritus in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University and an adjunct professor at both the Center on Research on Violence at West Virginia University and the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of New England. Dr. Donnermeyer

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Published

2024-04-30

Issue

Section

Articles