Fear of crime and community concerns: Mediating effect of risk and pragmatic fear

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between community concerns (i.e., perceived crime, incivilities, and infrastructure) and fear of crime (FOC) while examining the mediating role of risk of victimisation and pragmatic fear. Gender and ethnic differences were also explored. Data were collected using a proportionate multistage random sample of 3,003 participants from a southern Caribbean island in 2015. The following self‐reported measures were used: risk of victimisation and FOC scales, a general (noncrime) fear scale measuring pragmatic fear, and a community concern scale. Data were analysed using path analysis, Sobel tests, and multiple group analysis. Findings revealed that perceived crime and incivilities significantly predicted FOC, whereas infrastructure was insignificant as a direct predictor. Females had higher FOC, and among ethnic groups, Indo‐Trinidadians had the highest FOC than Afro‐Trinidadians and Mixed participants. Risk of victimisation and pragmatic fear had significant mediating effects on community concerns and FOC. Findings are discussed in the context of the social psychology of social disorganisation and previous research.

Fear of crime perceptions of university students

“…Similarly, scores on the disorder scale were the lowest in relation to Morphou, while highest in relation to Turkey's Mediterranean area. This result shows that the places where the disorder factors are highest correspond with higher student fear of crime scores, thus paralleling many earlier studies (Abdullah et al, 2015;Adams, 2012;Austin, Furr and Spine, 2002;Chadee et al, 2017;Colquhoun, 2007;Sampson and Raudenbush, 2004;Swatt et al, 2013).…”

“…Over the last 20 years, the phenomenon of fear of crime has become a popular research topic, especially in the United States and European countries (Chadee et al, 2017;Farrall, Jackson and Gray, 2009;Goodey, 2005;Özasçilar and Ziyalar, 2015;Shoham, Knepper and Kett, 2010). Over time, the fear of crime has become a more important consideration than crime itself because the fear of crime directly affects quality of life, public security and psychosocial health.…”

Victimization, Social Structure and Psychosocial Variables: The Case of Spain in 1999 and 2016

“…This study also shows that there is a need for future work to expand on the probability of being a victim or fears of experiencing a crime. Thus, research on perceptions of fear and their relationship to victimization is salient, as confirmed by recent studies (Chadee et al 2017;Chadee 2016;Doran and Burgess 2012), and psychosocial variables and subjective perceptions of crime are clearly associated with variables regarding lifestyles, neighbourhood locations and social contexts (Tseloni 2006). Building on this work, future studies may also examine the evolution of victimization and its relationship to reporting crimes, as the data demonstrate a reduction in the victimization percentage and an increase in the proportion of reporting.…”

Assessing the Impact of Street-View Greenery on Fear of Neighborhood Crime in Guangzhou, China

“…Women and the elderly are typically regarded as physically vulnerable populations; meanwhile, those with a lower level of personal income and/or education are considered as socially vulnerable populations. Research has demonstrated that the groups of women, the elderly, the lower-income population, and the less educated tend to report higher levels of fear [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. The second influential theory is the disorder model which directly focuses on community characteristics.…”