Are You Safe? Comparing Individuals’ Perceptions with Actual Crime Risk

• In Event: Risk Terrain Modeling II

Abstract

Research has found that individuals are poor judges of their likelihood of criminal victimization. Despite low probability of actual victimization, individuals tend to be highly fearful of potential victimization. Studies show that environments influence both the behavior of criminals and individuals’ perceptions of victimization risk, but few have examined the micro-spatial relationship between actual risk of crime and perceptions of crime risk. The study seeks to fill this gap in the literature using innovative approaches to collect data on objective and subjective measures of crime risk in an urban college campus setting. Objective assessments of violent and property crime risk are produced using risk terrain models. Then, a mobile smartphone application is used to crowdsource individuals’ perceptions of crime risk. Objective and subjective measures of risk are then compared to determine if individuals accurately perceive their likelihood of victimization at discrete locations. Results are discussed within the context of policing both crime and fear of crime.

Authors

• Jeremy D. Barnum, Rutgers University

• Phillip L. Marotta, Columbia University

• Joel M. Caplan, Rutgers University

• Leslie W. Kennedy, Rutgers University