PERCEPTION AND FEAR OF CRIME - IMPLICATIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COHESION, SOCIAL ACTIVITY, AND COMMUNITY AFFECT

• NCJ Number: 61249
• Journal: Social Forces Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1979) Pages: 176-193
• Author(s): T F HARTNAGEL
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: University of North Carolina Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISED VERSION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PACIFIC SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, 1978

Annotation

A SAMPLE OF 341 RESIDENTS OF EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA WAS INTERVIEWED TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PERCEPTION AND FEAR OF CRIME AND NEIGHBORHOOD COHESION, SOCIAL ACTIVITY, AND AFFECT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

Abstract

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATORS ADVANCED VARYING HYPOTHESES AND CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THESE RELATIONSHIPS. IN THE PRESENT STUDY, THE SAMPLE WAS SELECTED USING A MULTISTAGE AREA CLUSTER DESIGN. RATINGS OF PERSONAL SAFETY AND OF THE CITY'S SAFETY WERE USED TO ASSESS PERCEPTION OF CRIME. QUESTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL ACTIVITY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, RECOGNITION OF NEIGHBORS, AND SATISFACTION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CITY AS PLACES TO LIVE WERE USED TO ASSESS NEIGHBORHOOD COHESIVENESS, SOCIAL ACTIVITY, AND AFFECT FOR THE COMMUNITY. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE FEAR OF CRIME WAS NEGATIVELY RELATED TO SATISFACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT DID NOT SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESES THAT PERCEPTION OF INCREASED CRIME AND THE FEAR OF CRIME WERE INVERSELY RELATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD COHESION AND SOCIAL ACTIVITY. MOREOVER, ACTUAL EXPERIENCE OF VICTIMIZATION, DID NOT INFLUENCE THE HYPOTHESIZED RELATIONSHIPS. MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT LOW FEAR AND OLDER AGE PRODUCED GREATER SATISFACTION BOTH FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR THE CITY. IN ADDITION, FEMALES AND THE LESS EDUCATED PEOPLE HAD MORE AFFECTION FOR THE CITY. A SURPRISING LACK OF INTERACTION EFFECTS BETWEEN FEAR OF CRIME AND RESIDENTIAL AND SOCIAL VARIABLES WERE FOUND. RESULTS INDICATED THAT THIS CITY'S RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT FEAR FOR THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY AND THAT PERSONAL FEAR FOR SAFETY MUST BE DISTINGUISHED FROM PERCEPTION OF CRIME. A FIGURE, TABLES, FOOTNOTES, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)