How Do Models of Fear of Crime Change With Age?: Social Disorganization Theory and Korean Context

• In Event: Factors that Predict or Explain Fear of Crime

Abstract

This study aimed to promote community safety by applying ‘social disorganization theory,’ which is considered a major theory in the criminal sociology, to the Korean context. Accordingly, we intend to derive implications for differential criminal policy by age by using age, which is evaluated as a major predictor of fear of crime, as a moderator variable. Specifically, we sought to investigate a model predicting fear of crime constructed through sociological indicators such as community disorder and collective efficiency according to specific levels of age. To examine the Korean context, the analysis data used was the ‘National Crime Victim Survey’ of the Korean Institute of Criminology. The specific analysis results are as follows. It can be confirmed that the fear of crime model changes with age. In other words, when trying to predict fear of crime through local community, disorder, and collective efficiency, it can be confirmed that the direction and intensity are differentiated depending on age.These results suggest that continuous empirical review of the fear of crime model may be necessary, considering the global trend of aging.Additionally, there is a need for differential application of social disorganization theory and flexible crime prevention policies that take age into consideration.

Author

• Seoho Lee, SungKyunKwan University