Inter-relationships Between Perceptions of Safety, Anti-social Behaviour and Security Measures in Disadvantaged Areas

• NCJ Number: 204214
• Journal: Security Journal Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: 2004 Pages: 9-19
• Author(s): Alex Hirschfield; Kate J. Bowers; Shane D. Johnson
• Date Published: 2004
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This article discusses variations in perceptions of safety in different locations and at different times of the day.

Abstract

A survey conducted in Merseyside, Northwest England was undertaken to provide baseline information for an evaluation of an anti-burglary initiative involving the fitting of security gates to protect areas of terraced housing from burglary and antisocial behavior. A key component of the evaluation of this initiative has been the monitoring of how local residents perceive safety in and around their homes. The key research questions in this study were whether there were differences in perceptions of safety in different settings (the home, alley, street, or neighborhood); whether these varied by time of day and by gender; whether experience or awareness of crime affected perceptions of safety; whether perceptions varied with the level of home security; and how closely neighborhood satisfaction related to levels of home security. A total of 289 respondents, drawn from a random sample of households across Merseyside, were interviewed in October 2002. The results show that gender differences in perceptions of safety were found to be significant, and perceived lack of safety was found to be stronger at night than during the day. Strong positive relationships were identified between the perceived level of antisocial behavior and lack of safety. This study demonstrated the additional insights that can be gained by combining perceptions of safety with the time of day and location. There was significant variation in perceived safety between a number of the safety scenarios. This may have important implications for fear reduction and reassurance strategies. The lack of any association between the level of home security and perceived safety, and the strength of the positive relationship between perceived antisocial behavior and the adoption of home security, were all unexpected. There was also some evidence that being aware of crime was associated with higher home security. The results suggest that while improving home security will not necessarily reduce fear of crime, tackling antisocial behavior on the streets will make people feel safer within their homes and in their neighborhoods. 1 table, 2 figures, 9 notes