NCJ Number
114602
Date Published
1987
Length
78 pages
Annotation
Data from the 1984 British Crime Survey forms the basis of this analysis and testing of a model showing the most probable sources and consequences of citizens' fear of crime.
Abstract
The analysis showed that people who believe themselves to be at higher risk of victimization worry more often about crime and more often feel unsafe when out alone at night. People also overestimate both the neighborhood and personal risks of burglary and mugging. However, some perceptions are accurate. For example, citizens view property crime as more prevalent than personal crime, and people living in the areas with the most recorded crime perceive the highest risks of victimization. Worry about burglary most closely followed the model's predictions in that people who felt that burglary was a serious crime and believed their risks of victimization to be higher were more inclined to worry about the possibility of being burglarized. Fear was linked to behavior and anxiety about personal safety on the streets at night and prompted many people to take precautions against crime. However, older people and women both feel least safe on neighborhood streets and normally go out less at night for leisure activities. Findings strongly supported the desirability of providing the public with accurate information about the actual risks of crime, because this information is likely to reduce fear. Figures, tables, 16 references, and a list of other Home Office research reports.