NCJ Number
153400
Date Published
1994
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Fear of crime is a significant factor that affects quality of personal and community life and can promote improved police performance. This article discusses results of several surveys of Queensland (Australia) citizens regarding their fear of crime.
Abstract
The results of the surveys showed that most Queenslanders felt very or fairly safe at home alone at night, while a small percentage felt safe walking alone in the streets after dark. Most people believed their neighborhood to be safer than the community at large. All respondents tended to overstate their risk of victimization, with women being generally more fearful than men. People most likely to be fearful included victims of domestic assault, elderly people, and people who lived in neglected areas. Careful planning and design of public places and involvement of media and political figures in an education campaign are two ways to reduce people's fear of crime. 1 table, 6 figures, 3 notes, and 36 references