Race and Gender Effects on Fear of Crime: An Interactive Model With Age

• NCJ Number: 106002
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1987) Pages: 133-152
• Author(s): S T Ortega; J L Myles
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 1985 annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology.

Annotation

Multiple regression techniques were used on 1979 data from 8 Chicago neighborhoods (3,018 subjects) to assess whether or not the effects of age, race, and gender on fear of crime (FOC) are interactive.

Abstract

Results of correlational analysis indicate partial support for the proposition that FOC is a combined product of high exposure to crime, high subjective risk of victimization, and low resources for coping with the consequences of victimization. Contrary to expectations, zero-order correlations between race, age, and FOC were nonsignificant. However, both race and age were related to neighborhood crime level and to perceived victimization risk. Finally, subjective risk of victimization strongly affected FOC to approximately the same degree for blacks and whites, males and females, and young and old respondents. 5 notes, 5 tables, and 25 references.