NCJ Number
57617
Journal
Social Problems Volume: 26 Issue: 3 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 343-358
Date Published
1979
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A MODEL STUDIES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEAR OF CRIME AND ACTUAL CRIME. IT FINDS THAT A HIGHER FEAR OF CRIME CAN ACTUALLY DECREASE VICTIMIZATION, BY INCREASING SAFETY MEASURES.
Abstract
THE MODEL EXAMINES HOW VICTIMIZATION RATES, ACTUAL DANGER FROM CRIME AND FEAR OF CRIME INTERRELATE. THE MODEL IS BASED ON PREVIOUS DATA, AND FINDS THAT CERTAIN POPULATION GROUPS AND CITIES, SHOW A HIGHER THAN AVERAGE FEAR OF CRIME BUT A LOWER THAN AVERAGE RATE OF ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION. THE MODEL STATES THAT THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE THE HIGHER FEAR OF CRIME IS ONLY ONE RESULT OF A HIGHER DANGER FROM CRIME. IN ADDITION, THE CITIZENS WILL TAKE ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THUS LOWERING THE ACTUAL RATE OF VICTIMIZATION. THE MODEL ALSO FINDS THAT THERE ARE ERRORS IN REPORTED VICTIMIZATION RATES WHICH CORRECT FOR THE UNDERREPORTING OF CRIMES, BUT NOT FOR VARYING RATES OF POTENTIAL VICTIMIZATION. THE MODEL IS TESTED, USING CITY LEVEL CROSS SECTIONAL DATA, FROM A RECENT NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY. ANALYSIS OF THE FIGURES, USING THE MODEL, SHOWS THAT THE FEAR OF CRIME HAS A HIGHER CORRELATION WITH VICTIMIZATION RATES ADJUSTED FOR EXPOSURE TO CRIME THAN WITH USUAL GOVERNMENT-REPORTED VICTIMIZATION RATES. EXPOSURE TO CRIME IS FOUND TO BE NEGATIVELY RELATED TO FEAR OF CRIME. IT IS AGREED THAT BOTH THE DANGER OF CRIME AND MEASURES TAKEN TO LESSEN EXPOSURE TO CRIME SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN DETERMINATION OF ACTUAL VICTIMIZATION RATES. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS CHARTS, TABLES AND REFERENCES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED - KCP)