VICTIMIZATION AND THE FEAR OF CRIME

• NCJ Number: 55885
• Journal: Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 80-97
• Author(s): J GAROFALO
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Sale Source: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: BACK ISSUES ALSO AVAILABLE VERSION OF THIS PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH

Annotation

USING DATA FROM VICTIMIZATION AND ATTITUDE SURVEYS IN EIGHT AMERICAN CITIES, THE DETERMINANTS OF FEAR OF CRIME ARE EXAMINED, WITH ATTENTION TO HOW THE RISK AND EXPERIENCE OF CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION AFFECT THAT FEAR.

Abstract

RESPONDENTS IN A 1975 NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY ATTITUDE SUBSAMPLE WERE QUESTIONED REGARDING THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF PERSONAL SAFETY WHILE ALONE IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS AT NIGHT. THE FOUR RESPONSE CATEGORIES WERE VERY SAFE, REASONABLY SAFE, SOMEWHAT UNSAFE, AND VERY UNSAFE. THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE DANGEROUSNESS OF THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS AS COMPARED WITH OTHERS IN THE SAME METROPOLITAN AREA WERE USED TO DEVELOP A WORKING MODEL OF THE INFLUENCES ON FEAR OF CRIME. FIVE GENERAL FACTORS WERE SEEN AS AFFECTING FEAR: (1) THE ACTUAL RISK OF BEING VICTIMIZED BY A CRIMINAL ACT, (2) PAST EXPERIENCES OF BEING VICTIMIZED, (3) THE CONTENT OF THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS CONNECTED WITH PARTICULAR SOCIAL ROLES, (4) THE CONTENT OF MEDIA PRESENTATIONS ABOUT CRIME AND VICTIMIZATION, AND (5) THE PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL BARRIERS PLACED BETWEEN POTENTIAL OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS. A ZERO-ORDER CORRELATION OF COEFFICIENTS BETWEEN FEAR OF CRIME AND THESE FACTORS INDICATES THAT THE EFFECTS OF THE TWO ROLE SOCIALIZATION VARIABLES--AGE AND SEX--ARE SUBSTANTIAL. WHILE PERCEPTIONS OF THE RELATIVE DANGEROUSNESS OF ONE'S NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO HAVE A STRONG EFFECT ON FEAR OF CRIME, THE EFFECT OF TOTAL VICTIMIZATIONS SUFFERED DURING THE REFERENCE PERIOD IS SMALL, NOT SURPRISING BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBERS OF PERSONS WHO REPORTED VICTIMIZATIONS. THE SOCIAL BARRIER ROLE--IN THIS CASE GAUGED BY PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE EFFECTIVENESS--ALSO HAD SMALL EFFECT, DUE PERHAPS TO PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN CITIZEN EVALUATIONS OF THE POLICE. BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT FEAR OF CRIME IS NOT A SIMPLE REFLECTION OF THE RISK OR EXPERIENCE OF BEING VICTIMIZED, POLICYMAKERS SHOULD NOT NECESSARILY EXPECT A MAJOR DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF FEAR SHOULD CRIME BE SUCCESSFULLY REDUCED. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES. (KBL)