NCJ Number
238841
Journal
Alaska Justice Forum Volume: 28/29 Issue: 4/1 Dated: Winter/Spring 2012 Pages: 1,11,16
Date Published
2012
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This survey examined the self-protective behaviors that residents of Alaska use to make themselves feel safe in their communities.
Abstract
This survey examined the relationship between 10 self-protective factors and 4 independent variables and found that social cohesion while not strongly related to any of the 10 self-protective behaviors was moderately related to locking the doors during the day and while at home, and using a home security system; informal social control was strongly and negatively related to taking self-defense classes; the higher an individual indicated their level of social engagement, the more likely they were to perform all 10 self-protective behaviors; and people's perception of safety was negatively associated with most of the self-protective behaviors. Data for the study were obtained from a sample (n=2,080) of the 2009 Anchorage (AK) Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is designed to measure people's experiences of criminal victimization, perceptions of safety, feelings about community and quality of life, and satisfaction with municipal services and the criminal justice system. This study specifically examined the relationship between 4 independent variables (social cohesion, informal social control, social engagement, and perception of safety) and 10 self-protective behaviors that include locking doors and windows during the night and while away, and/or during the day and when at home, use of firearm in the home, having a dog, use of outside lights, use of a security system on a vehicle, and taking self-defense lessons. Bivariate analyses of the data validated two of the study's three assumptions: that the less safe one feels, the more they will do things to feel safer, and that involvement in local organizations is strongly and positively related to engaging in collective self-protective behavior. The third assumption, that greater feelings of community or believing one's neighbors would act if crime or disorder were occurring, was only partially supported by the study's findings. Implications for policymakers are discussed. 6 tables