Concerns About Crime in a Crime-Ridden Country: Fear of Crime, Perceived Risk, and Avoidance Behavior Among Law School Students in Mexico

• NCJ Number: 240412
• Journal: International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2012 Pages: 173-187
• Author(s): Ben Brown; Wm. Reed Benedict
• Date Published: August 2012
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey (Cross-Cultural)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper provides analyses of data on concerns about crime obtained from surveys administered to law school students in Mexico.

Abstract

This paper provides analyses of data on concerns about crime obtained from surveys administered to 303 law school students in Mexico. Descriptive analyses of the data show considerable concerns about crime among the sample, with a sizeable majority of respondents (more than 80 percent) having reported concerns about burglary, home invasion and their safety when out during the day. More than half the respondents (61.4 percent) reported concerns about their safety when out at night and roughly a third (29.6 percent) reported avoiding parts of the city due to safety concerns. Contrary to prior research conducted in Mexico and elsewhere in the world (e.g., Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom), regression analyses of the data indicate males were more concerned than were females about their safety, both during the day and at night. Additionally, victimization experiences proved to be inversely related to fear of burglary. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.