NCJ Number
87086
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1982) Pages: 9-15
Date Published
1982
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationships among the impact of crime prevention education, fear of crime, and security-conscious behavior for 152 elderly participants in a crime prevention program in Prince Georges' County, Md.
Abstract
It discovered significant associations among high impact, high fear, and high security-conscious behavior. The program either increased participants' fear or reinforced existing levels of fear. Thus, senior citizens might not be motivated to take precautionary measures to prevent crime unless their fear of crime reaches a high enough level. However, increased fear was not always associated with a commensurate increase in security conscious behavior. Overall, fear of crime might need to be increased initially, or reinforced if already high, in order to achieve the program's ultimate goal of increasing security-conscious behavior. Study data, note, and 16 references are supplied. (Author abstract modified)