Built Environment and Fear of Crime: To Test the Impact of the Presence of Neighborhood Security Systems

• In Event: Managing Fear of Crime Victimization: Individual and Neighborhood Responses

Abstract

Prior research has examined the relationship between individual-level target hardening strategies and fear of crime. However, few studies have examined how neighborhood-level security system shapes individual’s perceptions of crime. The current study uses systematic social observation data from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study to explore the association between the presence of neighborhood security system and fear of crime among urban dwellers. Results indicate that individuals reside in neighborhood with high levels of security system are more likely to report fear of crime than individuals resident in neighborhood with low levels of security system. The implications of the results for theoretical development are discussed, along with suggestions for future study.

Author

• Yue Yuan, Indiana University Bloomington