NCJ Number
102791
Date Published
1986
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Citizen perceptions of crime in one neighborhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, were compared with the actual crime patterns shown in police statistics and with perceptual patterns derived from the U.S. National Crime Survey.
Abstract
The neighborhood studied was a high-density, upper middle-class neighborhood representing the gentrification that is a major current trend in North America. Data came from interviews conducted in 1981 with 91 randomly selected residents of a small part of the West End area of Vancouver. Subjects answered questions on demographic characteristics, length of residence, perceptions of the neighborhood, fear of crime, feelings of safety, and perceptions of crime. Results were compared with official data on burglary during 1977-1980 as well as with data on other crimes. In contrast with results of studies of whole cities, the West End residents generally perceived greater crime problems closer to home than at a distance. They also thought that many offenders came from their own neighborhood. However, they took few precautions. The general perception was that crime was a problem but not a personal problem. Studies at the city level, such as the National Crime Survey city sample, appear to be masking the kinds of neighborhood variations found in this study. Information programs may be needed to produce enough fear of crime to motivate individuals to take steps to protect themselves adequately. Table, figure, and 46 reference notes.