NCJ Number
57389
Journal
Victimology Volume: 3 Issue: 3/4 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (1978) Pages: 254-264
Date Published
1979
Length
11 pages
Annotation
VARIABLES RELATED TO FEAR OF CRIME ARE IDENTIFIED AND DISCUSSED IN A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON FEAR OF CRIME CONDUCTED IN THE UNITED STATES.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH MUCH OF THE LITERATURE ON FEAR OF CRIME IS DESCRIPTIVE, AND ALTHOUGH THERE IS LITTLE STANDARDIZATION OF MEASURES, SEVERAL VARIABLES CONSISTENTLY EMERGE AS CORRELATES OF FEAR OF CRIME. SEX IS THE MOST CONSISTENT AND POWERFUL PREDICTOR OF FEAR: WOMEN ARE CONSIDERABLY MORE AFRAID THAN MEN. THE ELDERLY USUALLY ARE MORE AFRAID THAN OTHER AGE GROUPS. OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS--RACE, INCOME, EDUCATION--ARE LESS CONSISTENTLY RELATED TO FEAR, AND THEIR EFFECT DEPENDS ON THEIR HOMOGENEITY WITHIN URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS. OTHER CORRELATES INCLUDE SIZE OF CITY OF RESIDENCE, PLACE OF RESIDENCE WITHIN A CITY, KNOWLEDGE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND FAMILIARITY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WITH ACTIVITIES OF LOCAL RESIDENTS. THESE VARIABLES SUGGEST A CONCEPTUALIZATION OF FEAR OF CRIME AS A CONSEQUENCE OF VULNERABILITY, COMMUNICATION OF CRIME INFORMATION, AND CRIME-RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL CUES. OTHER CONCEPTUALIZATIONS VIEW FEAR AS (1) A REFLECTION OF URBAN RESIDENTS' ACTUARIAL ESTIMATES OF THEIR CHANCES OF VICTIMIZATION ON THE BASIS OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH CRIME, ABILITY TO ESCAPE OR RESIST AN ASSAILANT, POTENTIAL FOR LOSS, AND AMOUNT OF CRIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD; AND (2) AN EMOTIONAL REACTION TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS PRODUCED BY ASSESSMENTS OF THREAT. SUCH CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS MUST BE DEVELOPED FURTHER AND TESTED IF THE DYNAMICS OF FEAR OF CRIME ARE TO BE UNDERSTOOD. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)