NCJ Number
225262
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 36 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2008 Pages: 546-553
Date Published
November 2008
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article examines fear of crime in two central European capitals of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Sarajevo, Bosnia.
Abstract
This study reflects on fear of crime in two post-socialist countries and provides different cultural and post-war factors in an attempt to explain the differences in fear of crime between Ljubljana and Sarajevo. Although the results do not seem to differ from other Western countries, the social context in which fear of crime appears seems to be different from Western Europe. Findings demonstrate that respondents from Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo) were significantly more fearful of crime than those from Slovenia (Ljubljana). The sociodemographic variables of gender, home ownership, running speed, finances, and walking after dark were all related to fear of crime. Specifically, women were more fearful than men; homeowners more fearful than renters; those who believed they could not run well were more fearful than those who could run; and those who avoided walking after dark were more fearful than those who were comfortable in doing so. Additionally, those who considered the streets and woods safe after dark were less fearful than those who did not. Data were collected from 744 respondents from Ljubljana and 862 from Sarajevo in the fall of 2006 and winter-spring of 2007 using surveys. Tables, appendixes, and references