NCJ Number
85505
Date Published
1980
Length
153 pages
Annotation
The distribution of the fear of crime in American cities is examined from a theoretical standpoint, based on the social control perspective of urban community life and attitudes toward crime.
Abstract
The level of fear in a community is viewed as a result of the level of social disorganization perceived by its residents. Analysis of 10 neighborhoods in Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia suggests that fear levels are not a function of rising crime rates. Instead, they result from the declining capacity of local institutions to control the social disorganization residents perceive around them. The social control perspective analyzes change in the community as the source of a fearful citizenry. The social control perspective emerged during the second quarter of the 20th century. The decline of this perspective and the transition to motivational theories of crime and delinquency led to the formulation of the victimization perspective by the end of the 1960's. However, both perspectives treat the preservation of community as an important objective. However, the social control perspective draws attention to conditions overlooked by the victimization perspective. Policies based on the victimization perspective focus on reducing the opportunity for the victimization to occur by educating victims about risks and appropriate strategies to reduce risks. In contrast, the social control perspective implies the need for community cohesion, local political development, and a general revitalization of neighborhoods. Tables, figures, footnotes, and 120 references are provided.