Fear of Crime Among the Elderly - The Role of Crime Prevention Programs

• NCJ Number: 89791
• Journal: Gerontologist Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Dated: (1982) Pages: 388-393
• Author(s): L Norton; M Courlander
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 6 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A questionnaire survey of 152 persons over 55 years old revealed that individuals most highly affected by a crime prevention education program exhibited both increased security-conscious behavior and increased fear of crime.

Abstract

Project SAFE (Seniors Against a Fearful Environment), a crime prevention program for elderly residents of a six-town, metropolitan region in the eastern United States, consisted of educational presentations and increased patrol officer visibility. This assessment of the project's impact found that respondents who were highly fearful were also highly security-conscious and that SAFE's educational component was positively associated with both fear and security consciousness. No clear patterns of association were discovered between these variables and patrol officer visibility. Individuals who had conversations with SAFE officers reported lower levels of fear and security-conscious behavior that those with no contacts. Respondents who had been victimized reported higher fear levels, as did those who said their activities were restricted by media coverage of crime and discussions with neighbors. In contrast, no significant relationship existed between prior victimization and security-conscious behavior. Females and blacks reported higher levels of fear than males and whites. The relationship between the impact of SAFE's educational program and security-conscious behavior disappeared when victimization, media coverage, and discussions of crime were controlled, suggesting that external factors affected security consciousness more than the SAFE presentations. The relationship between SAFE presentations and fear of crime remained for nonvictims, those who did not restrict their activities, and those who did not discuss crime. Thus, interactions of low-fear and high-fear groups in a crime prevention meeting may promote vicarious victimization in the low-fear elderly. Tables and 16 references are provided.