NCJ Number
84665
Date Published
1982
Length
30 pages
Annotation
Fear of crime among South Carolina's citizens was assessed by a survey that reached a sample of the population in all 46 counties in the State in March and April 1982.
Abstract
More than three-fourths of the respondents felt that criminals are becoming increasingly violent. The proportion of citizens who reported keeping guns for protection grew from 44 percent in 1981 to 51 percent in 1982. Other common precautions included keeping dogs, avoiding areas perceived as dangerous, avoiding being out alone after dark, installing security devices in the home, and belonging to a neighborhood crime watch. A total of 7.4 percent of the respondents said they were victims of crimes which they did not report. Female and black residents were considerably more concerned about crime in South Carolina than were male and white citizens. More educated citizens were less fearful about crime and more likely to install protective devices in the home or to take other special precautions. Concern about crime did not vary with age, although older citizens were more likely to report crime to the police than were younger citizens. Attached tables present statewide responses to each survey question, comparisons with data from 1981; and breakdowns of data by such categories as age, education, and county of residence.