NCJ Number
224104
Journal
European Journal of Criminology Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2008 Pages: 363-380
Date Published
July 2008
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This research reassessed measures used in association with questions on the fear of crime from the British Crime Survey.
Abstract
The findings show that few people experience specific events of worry on a frequent basis and that 'old'-style questions magnify the everyday experience of fear. It is also proposed that `worry about crime' is often best seen as a diffuse anxiety about risk rather than any pattern of everyday concerns over personal safety. The article notes that a large body of empirical research exploring emotional responses to crime in Europe, North America, and elsewhere suggests that substantial proportions of the public worry about victimization. The British Crime Survey (BCS) has asked questions exploring English and Welsh respondents' worry about crime since 1982, and in the 2003-2004 sweep of the BCS, new questions were inserted into a subsection to explore the frequency and intensity of such fearful events. As well as illustrating the rationale of the new measurement strategy, this research note reports the results of the new questions in direct relation to the “old” methods. Three specific crimes were examined: car crime, burglary, and robbery. Tables, figures, and references