Risk for Violent Victimization in Public Spaces in the U.S.

• In Event: Place, Space, and Victimization

Abstract

Individuals are greatly affected by the violence that they experience. Considering an estimated 6 million adults in the U.S. were victims of violent crime in 2023, this study explores the risk individuals in the U.S. face for violent victimization when in public spaces—environments that are often intentionally designed to accommodate community interaction, cultural exchange, and/or recreation. Using the 2002-2023 National Crime Victimization Surveys (U.S.), this study assesses the risk for being a victim of stranger violence in public spaces in the U.S. and how one’s risk for stranger violence varies across urban, suburban, and rural jurisdictions. Contextual measures in which risk varies for stranger violence in public vs. nonpublic spaces are explored and discussed.

Author

• Maribeth Rezey, Loyola University Chicago