PUBLIC POLICY AND THE FEAR OF CRIME IN LARGE AMERICAN CITIES (FROM PUBLIC LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY, 1977, BY JOHN A GARDINER)

• NCJ Number: 52712
• Author(s): W G SKOGAN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 18 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MIDWEST POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MAY 1976

Annotation

USING DATA FROM FEDERAL VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS, THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CRIME, FEAR OF CRIME, AND PUBLIC POLICY WERE EXAMINED.

Abstract

THIS STUDY'S SIX HYPOTHESES WERE AS FOLLOWS: (1) POLICIES HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRIME, AND OFTEN THAT EFFECT IS NEGLIGIBLE; (2) DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRIME HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON THE FEAR OF CRIME, AND THAT EFFECT VARIES FROM GROUP TO GROUP; (3) THE FEAR OF CRIME IS USUALLY GENERATED VICARIOUSLY AND NOT BY DIRECT VICTIMIZATION; (4) THE FEAR OF CRIME IS AFFECTED BY MANY SOCIAL FACTORS THAT HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH VICTIMIZATION; (5) THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPRESSED FEAR AND ACTUAL BEHAVIOR IS PROBLEMATIC; AND (6) THE CAUSAL SYSTEM UNDERLYING THE FEAR OF CRIME IS CHARACTERIZED BY POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND ACCELERATING RATES OF CHANGE. EXAMINING THE FIRST HYPOTHESIS, IT WAS FOUND THAT STUDIES HAVE NOT CLEARLY ESTABLISHED A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICYMAKING AND CRIME RATE. THE SECOND HYPOTHESIS WAS VERIFIED AS IT WAS FOUND THAT PROPERTY CRIMES HAD LESS IMPACT ON FEAR OF CRIME THAN CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON. EXAMINING VICARIOUS FEAR OF CRIME, IT WAS FOUND THAT MEASURES OF DIRECT VICTIMIZATION WERE UNABLE TO EXPLAIN MUCH OF THE VARIATION IN MEASURES OF THE FEAR OF CRIME. MANY MORE PEOPLE EXPRESS A GREAT FEAR OF CRIME THAN ARE ACTUALLY VICTIMIZED. AMONG THE SOCIAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FEAR OF CRIME WERE RACIAL FEARS AND CLASS-LINKED DIFFERENCES IN BEHAVIOR. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT, DUE TO THE QUESTIONABLE ABILITY OF ONE TO PREDICT BEHAVIOR FROM ATTITUDES, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPRESSED FEAR AND ACTUAL BEHAVIOR COULD NOT ALWAYS BE DELINEATED. FINALLY, CRIME, RACIAL AND CLASS TENSIONS, AND THE COMMUNICATION OF THOSE FEARS WERE VIEWED AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPREAD OF FEAR, THE REDUCTION OF PERSONAL MOBILITY, AND INCREASED RATES OF CRIME. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT FEAR OF CRIME BE TREATED AND STUDIED AS AN ENTITY SEPARATE FROM CRIME ITSELF. (MLC)