Fear of Crime, Attitudes about George Zimmerman, and Expected Implications of Florida’s Stand-Your-Ground Law

• In Event: Theoretical Perspectives on Gun Laws, Race, Patriarchy, and Victim-Blaming

Abstract

In February 2012, George Zimmerman, a Hispanic community watch member, fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a young black male, in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman claimed it was self-defense. Even though Zimmerman initially called police and was told not to follow Martin, Zimmerman did so while waiting for law enforcement to arrive, eventually shooting and killing Martin. The case has raised many questions about whether Zimmerman was justified in his decision to shoot Martin. Additionally, this case increased debate about the implications of stand-your-ground laws, even though Zimmerman did not technically use stand your ground as a defense strategy. This paper examines the impact of racial socialization and fear of crime on university students’ attitudes about whether or not Zimmerman was justified in his use of force as well as students’ expectations about the implications of Florida’s Stand-Your-Ground law on people’s behavior.

Authors

• Jodi Lane, University of Florida

• Ashley Price Kuhn, University of Florida