The MARGIN Project: Creating a Common European Crime Victimization Survey Assessing Insecurity among Marginalized Individuals

• In Event: Mixed Topics: Immigrants; Assessing Insecurity and Safety

Abstract

As part of the European program Horizon 2020, the “Margin” project aims at assessing and reducing the perceptions of insecurity among various socio-demographic groups, especially marginalized and vulnerable individuals. This project involves 7 partners from 5 European countries and regions (i.e., Catalonia, England and Wales, France, Hungary, and Italy).

Perceptions of insecurity are not limited to fear of crime. They can be conceptualized in different ways: emotions (e.g., fear), cognitions (e.g., evaluation of victimization risk), behaviors (e.g., avoidance), or values (e.g., social concern for crime and security).

This diversity can be found in the 5 crime victimization surveys (CVS) of the “Margin” partners. In these surveys, insecurity is conceptualized and measured differently. This allows encompassing the various perceptions of insecurity, but highlights methodological drawbacks, and restricts the possibility of cross-national comparison.

In order to overcome this limit, a panel of experts participated in an iterative design process (i.e., Delphi method) and reached a consensus on a set of indicators of insecurity among different sociodemographic groups. As a result of this method, the “Margin” survey ensures a common understanding of perceived insecurity at the national and local level, especially among marginalized and vulnerable individuals. Results of the survey will be discussed.

Authors

• Sonia Bellit, French Observatory of Delinquency and Penal Responses (ONDRP)

• Hugo d'Arbois de Jubainville, French Observatory of Delinquency and Penal Responses (ONDRP)