NCJ Number
176835
Date Published
1998
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This document reports findings from the 1998 British Crime Survey.
Abstract
The survey found that people tended to over-estimate the crime problem, but were less concerned about crime than in 1996, and that women worried more about all crimes, except vehicle crime, and were particularly worried about violent crime. Thirty-one percent were very worried about the possibility of being raped; there was little difference in worry about burglary and mugging according to age but the young worried more about vehicle crime and violence. It was only in relation to safety after dark that the elderly registered noticeably high concern. For instance, 31 percent of women aged 60 or over said they felt very unsafe out alone after dark. Concern about crime was linked to people's beliefs about their chances of becoming a victim and how vulnerable they felt. People who lived in the higher risk inner cities and those who had been victims tended to express most concern. Eight percent indicated that the fear of crime had a substantial effect on the quality of their lives, while half said it had no or little effect. Tables, figures, references