FEAR OF CRIME AND URBAN ELDERLY

• NCJ Number: 38978
• Author(s): R A SUNDEEN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL BICENTENNIAL CONFERENCE ON JUSTICE AND OLDER AMERICANS, SEPTEMBER 27, 1976 IN PORTLAND, OREGON

Annotation

PRESENTS THE FINDINGS OF AN ANALYSIS OF DATA GLEANED FROM AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF FEAR OF CRIME AND ITS CONSEQUENCES AMONG OLDER PERSONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

Abstract

THE STUDY FOCUSED ON THE FEAR OF OR ANXIETY ABOUT CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION OF THE ELDERLY. EXAMINED WERE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHARACTERISTICS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF URBAN OLDER PEOPLE AND THE FEAR OF SPECIFIC KINDS OF CRIME AND THEIR FEELINGS OF SAFETY IN THEIR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOODS DURING THE DAY AND EVENING. A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MEANS TEST WAS USED, AND THE RESULTS SHOWED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE FOUR COMMUNITIES STUDIED. SUMMARILY, THE CONCLUSIONS INDICATED THAT HIGH LEVELS OF FEAR OF ROBBERY AND BURGLARY ARE RELATED TO NON-PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, PRIOR VICTIMIZATION, SELF-PERCEIVED ILL HEALTH, AND THE UNLIKELIHOOD OF NEIGHBORS CALLING THE POLICE AFTER WITNESSING A CRIME IN THE NIGHBORHOOD. IN CONTRAST TO PRIOR STUDIES CITED IN THE TEXT, FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY INDICATE THAT SEX, AGE, AND INCOME DO NOT PLAY A SUBSTANTIAL EXPLANATORY ROLE BUT PRIOR VICTIMIZATION DOES IN TERMS OF THE LEVELS OF FEAR OF SPECIFIC KINDS OF CRIME. TABLES DOCUMENT THE TEXT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...KAP