"On Attitudes and Behaviors," in Dan A. Lewis (ed.) Reactions to Crime. Newbury
Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1981, 19-45.
This chapter examines what people think about crime and what they do in response to it. It is easy to
assume there is a simple relationship between the two, and that those perceiving more crime or experiencing
more fear are the most likely to respond to the problem. However, research indicates there is not a simple
one-to-one relationship between perception and action, even when the fear component of those perceptions
is involved. In an attempt to clarify this apparent paradox, the chapter first examines what people think about
crime. Popular perceptions of crime can be classified as “beliefs about crime,” “assessments of risk,” and
“fear of victimization.” These perceptual dimensions are related in different ways to people’s experiences and
neighborhood conditions. The next section enumerates things individuals can do to protect themselves from
victimization and to reduce crime. These include precautions against personal crime, household protection,
participation in community organizations, and flight to the suburbs. The last section of this chapter
summarizes several theories which link perceptions and behavior.
Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1981, 19-45.
This chapter examines what people think about crime and what they do in response to it. It is easy to
assume there is a simple relationship between the two, and that those perceiving more crime or experiencing
more fear are the most likely to respond to the problem. However, research indicates there is not a simple
one-to-one relationship between perception and action, even when the fear component of those perceptions
is involved. In an attempt to clarify this apparent paradox, the chapter first examines what people think about
crime. Popular perceptions of crime can be classified as “beliefs about crime,” “assessments of risk,” and
“fear of victimization.” These perceptual dimensions are related in different ways to people’s experiences and
neighborhood conditions. The next section enumerates things individuals can do to protect themselves from
victimization and to reduce crime. These include precautions against personal crime, household protection,
participation in community organizations, and flight to the suburbs. The last section of this chapter
summarizes several theories which link perceptions and behavior.
“The Fear of Crime and Its Behavioral Implications.” In Ezzat Fattah (ed.), From Crime
Policy to Victim Policy: Reorienting the Justice System. London: Macmillan, 1986, 167-
188.
In the decade-and-a-half since victimization surveys were conducted in the US for the Crime Commission
there has been a great deal of descriptive research on “fear of crime.” Under this headline pollsters have
revealed that people rate their chances of being victimized as moderate (below, for example, being involved in
an auto accident), but substantial numbers of Americans fear to walk somewhere not far from where they live,
and virtually everyone thinks crime is increasing. This chapter summarizes some of this research, proposing
three concepts by which many of these descriptive findings can be categorized: they are beliefs about crime,
assessments of risk of victimization, and perceived threat of crime. The two latter categories turn out to
deserve the general appellation “fear of crime,” although they are conceptually distinct and measure
somewhat different things. However, the next section of the chapter argues that the most important
manifestation of fear of crime is its implications for behavior. This raises at least two problems. Firstly, there
has been much less good research on crime-related behaviors. Secondly, most research indicates that
“crime-related behaviors” are only marginally related to many measures of fear. The first section of this
chapter comments briefly on this paradox. The second section proposes some solution, in the form of four
models of crime-related behavior which do not assume (as empirically seems the case) that attitudes and
behaviors in this area are necessarily congruent.
Policy to Victim Policy: Reorienting the Justice System. London: Macmillan, 1986, 167-
188.
In the decade-and-a-half since victimization surveys were conducted in the US for the Crime Commission
there has been a great deal of descriptive research on “fear of crime.” Under this headline pollsters have
revealed that people rate their chances of being victimized as moderate (below, for example, being involved in
an auto accident), but substantial numbers of Americans fear to walk somewhere not far from where they live,
and virtually everyone thinks crime is increasing. This chapter summarizes some of this research, proposing
three concepts by which many of these descriptive findings can be categorized: they are beliefs about crime,
assessments of risk of victimization, and perceived threat of crime. The two latter categories turn out to
deserve the general appellation “fear of crime,” although they are conceptually distinct and measure
somewhat different things. However, the next section of the chapter argues that the most important
manifestation of fear of crime is its implications for behavior. This raises at least two problems. Firstly, there
has been much less good research on crime-related behaviors. Secondly, most research indicates that
“crime-related behaviors” are only marginally related to many measures of fear. The first section of this
chapter comments briefly on this paradox. The second section proposes some solution, in the form of four
models of crime-related behavior which do not assume (as empirically seems the case) that attitudes and
behaviors in this area are necessarily congruent.
Fear of Crime Abstracts
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