NCJ Number
182199
Journal
Sociological Spectrum Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: April-June 2000 Pages: 149-168
Date Published
April 2000
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study attempts to determine whether predictors of adolescent fear of crime at school are similar to predictors of adult fear of crime.
Abstract
The study used 742 high school students from a Southeastern State. While the predictors of adolescent fear of crime were similar to those of adults, there were important differences. Youths with lower levels of perceived safety at school and youths who perceived their neighborhoods as exhibiting signs of incivility were more likely to be fearful of criminal victimization at school. There were important differences between adolescents and adults regarding the effects of race, gender and victimization experience and fear of crime. Black males were more fearful than White males, and female victims of crime were more fearful than females who had not been victimized by crime. Actual criminal victimization, a significant predictor for adult fear of crime in many studies, did not demonstrate a significant effect on adolescent fear of crime. Also, socioeconomic status did not affect adolescent fear. The variable of grade in school was inversely related to fear of crime, i.e., adolescents were less likely to fear crime as they matriculated through high school. Notes, tables, references