Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Fear of Crime (Intro (range of fears is diverse & multiple, relative…
Fear of Crime
Intro
-
relative & dependent on place, time & purpose of assessment + assessor (diff. degrees of fear)
fear is the perception of threat to some aspect of well-being concurrent w/ feeling of inability to meet the challenge
fear is increasingly becoming more influential in shaping cities & those living within them e.g. can be destructive force as it interferes w/ full participation in everyday life
Factors
Temporal
behaviour of those occupying spaces is regulated formally (public space control done by store managers, bus conductors) or informally (presence of ppl that act as deterrent to those contemplating crimes) at diff. times. drop in visibility at night increases opportunity for ppl to strike unobserved. but increasingly, cities are becoming more proactive in creating vibrant night-time economy to improve attractiveness & liveability. + Ohio State Uni has safety escort svc
Env.
fear of personal & property crime heightened when in particular env.s. like dark, unattractive or uncared-for places. other factors include "incivilities" (litter, vandalism) which reflect general state of disrepair. frequent presence of vagrants or unruly gathering of delinquents suggests location is "out of control". these characteristics induce fear of crime & is invitation to crime
Age
Children: more likely to be victims than perpetrators. concerns abt their safety increased substantially due to increasing traffic & high-profile cases of child abduction. caused reduction in opportunities for independent play. highly gendered. current high lvls of parents' fear of abuse & consequent restrictions on behaviour + protection may mean future intensification of fear of crime
Elderly: fear has severe effects on mobility, activity patterns & QoL. become 'prisoners of fear', restricted to their safe space. multiple identities must be taken into consideration i.e. fear of crime in old age is affected by earlier exp.s AS WELL AS class, gender, race
Race, Ethnicity, Gender
Race & Ethnicity: minorities show higher rates of victimisation. powerful stereotypes-> dominant race's fears projected on other ethnic grps. labelling criminals of a certain identity increases personal feelings of power & security. also lead to their exclusion, esp. when they are seen as threatening. e.g. Little India, where Bangladeshis congregate during weekends to rest, socialise but locals complain abt noise & personal safety at risk.
indiv.s who fall out of preferred identities become more vulnerable to being targets of fear. social identity affects mobility, housing, employment & SOB
Gender: men more chances of being victimised but women report lvls of fear of crime 2-3x higher. women have lower victimisation risks for all except rape & sexual assault, which are 10x higher. women protest against sexual violence to assert their rights.
in 2000, survey conducted by Straits Times reveal Little India is regarded as "crime prone". in response, gov. increased police patrols, set up physical barricades & deterrent signs to control & discipline migrants' presence
girls socialised into restricted use of public space through observing parents' differential fears for them & control of spatial range of their activities wrt boys. reports of flashers, stalkers further reinforce & develop women's geography of fear
limitations imposed upon women's lives. keeps them off, esp after dark. constrain social lives, concerned abt dressing & arriving-departure hours to home
Explanations
indivs' inability to exercise control over their own life & behaviour of others: e.g. vulnerable ppl are more likely to fear crime
fear of crime is embedded in physical & social characteristics of place & its familiarity: fear may be affected by community disintegration & poor neighbourhood amenities rather than actual crime rates-> signal that no one cares + presence of incivilities & disorder cause perception of 'unsafe'
exp.s of victimisation/perceived risk of victimisation: e.g. news affect perception on likelihood of falling victim to crimes.
Effects of Fear
affects liveability, esp. safety & mobility
can produce '-' feelings-> adopt protective (weapons, self-defence) or avoidance (reduce risk of being exposed to victimisation e.g. avoid certain activities, like walking alone at night) behaviour
-