NCJ Number
183797
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 30 Issue: 1/2 Dated: 1999 Pages: 107-120
Date Published
1999
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study tested the hypothesis that fear of crime is higher among the poor and racial minorities, because their disadvantaged status leads to greater rates of violent victimization.
Abstract
This hypothesis was tested by comparing the results of two national Canadian surveys: the 1991 post-censal Aboriginal People's Survey, which involved a sample of over 18,000 respondents, and the 1993 Canadian General Social Survey, which involved over 10,000 respondents. Contingency tables (cross-tabs) and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess differences in reported fear levels between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cases. Although Aboriginal rates of violent victimization were higher, there were no appreciable differences in fear levels. In some situations, non-Aboriginal Canadians were even more likely to report fear of crime. This relationship held even in controlled analysis for urban-based Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals. Assault did not substantially increase the fear levels of either group. Low-income earners were more afraid of victimization than high-income earners. Although other factors mediated some of these effects, policymakers should focus on the large number of urban-based, impoverished Aboriginals who live with a heightened fear of crime. 3 tables and 30 references