NCJ Number
207252
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 32 Issue: 5 Dated: September/October 2004 Pages: 455-463
Editor(s)
Kent B. Joscelyn
Date Published
September 2004
Length
9 pages
Annotation
In addressing the limitations of previous research, this study examined the relationship between fear of victimization and sex offender notification.
Abstract
Sex offender notification statutes allow for community dissemination of specific information collected on the sex offender. Today, sex offender community notification statutes exist in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Studies have shown that receiving notification of a sex offender living in a community might increase community fear. However, research did not provide strong evidence of a relationship between community notification and fear of victimization. This study addressed the limitations of the above research and provided a direct measure of fear and a comparison group. The study was intended to expand the fear of crime literature by conceptually distinguishing between altruistic or the unselfish fear and personal fear of crime victimization. Data were obtained from the 2002 Survey of Crime Perceptions and Crime Protection in Hamilton County, OH. Results show that (1) respondents receiving notification that a sex offender moved into their community were significantly more likely to fear personal victimization; (2) notification did not significantly increase altruistic fear of victimization at the multivariate level, but was significantly related to personal fear; (3) notification was related to one type of altruistic fear at the bivariate level, sexual victimization, and (4) findings for altruistic or unselfish fear indicate that fear of crime is offense specific. References