NCJ Number
225287
Date Published
2008
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This chapter reviews the findings and methodologies of research that has focused on the nature, prevalence, and effects of the fear of crime.
Abstract
The review concludes that validity and reliability are considerable problems in the research that has measured fear of crime. The most elementary problem is the lack of a generally accepted definition of fear of crime. There is disagreement about whether fear of crime is a cognitive assessment that one is at high risk for being a crime victim or a pervasive emotional anxiety about the perpetual imminence of becoming a crime victim. As long as research continues to measure fear of crime through assessments of variables such as any of the diverse types of victimization, risk, vulnerability, or avoidance behavior, questionable outcomes can be expected. Measuring the fear of crime apparently requires a much broader array of indicators than has been customarily measured. A promising attempt to incorporate multiple indicators of fear of crime is Ferraro’s (1995) generic model of fear of crime that is based on individuals’ interpretation of risk for victimization. Components of the model include perceptions of ecological variables such as crime prevalence and community traits, as well as personal variables such as past victimization and the victimization of family members and friends. Ferraro’s model also includes measurements of behaviors associated with fear of crime, such as constrained and defensive actions. Although Ferraro’s model for assessing fear of crime is one of the more inclusive models to date, it still does not contain comprehensive indicators for predicting fear of crime. What is needed is a means of measuring individuals’ thoughts, emotions, perceptions, symptoms, and behaviors that are associated with fear of crime. The most important recognition for researchers is that the measurement of the fear of crime is multidisciplinary. 33 references