As hypothesized, the specific pathway of neighborhood change related to fear of crime consists of changes in youth, elderly, and racial population composition. The effects of rapid neighborhood change do not operate directly on fear; rather structural changes in the urban ecology lead to their own consequences, which arise from urban property relations and other structural dynamics. The data show that black neighborhoods have higher levels of physical incivilities due to the prevailing patterns of disinvestment and external ownership. Neighborhood racial composition directly affects fear of crime and women report higher levels of fear than men. There is no evidence that income, education, crime change, and age affect fear of crime. These results suggest that social disorganization dynamics may extend to fear of crime and may demonstrate how they operate in light of contemporary neighborhood changes in urban areas. 2 tables, 5 figures, 71 references, and 1 appendix
COMMUNITY STRUCTURAL CHANGE AND FEAR OF CRIME
NCJ Number
144984
Journal
Social Problems Volume: 40 Issue: 3 Dated: (August 1993) Pages: 374-397
Date Published
1993
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Using a sample of 1,622 residents in 66 city neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland, this study examines how unexpected neighborhood changes influence fear of crime. Predictors of change used in the analysis include population racial and ethnic composition, signs of incivility, and unsupervised peer teen groups.
Abstract