Fear of Crime, and Fear Reduction Strategies

In pursuing fear-reduction strategies in public transport, the total experience of accessing rail stations should be taken into account. This article correlates passengers’ fear of crime at train stations with neighborhood types and income data within the pedestrian catchment area. The research is based on urban form and income around 84 S-train stations in the Copenhagen metropolitan area and nine years of passenger surveys on fear of crime at these stations. The study reveals a significant positive correlation between low income and fear of crime; the lower the income in an urban area, the more unsafe passengers feel at the station. However, when controlling for the relationship between income, safety and neighborhood type, stations in neighborhoods with urban form associated with low incomes have the lowest ratings of safety. The research indicates that train passengers’ sense of security is connected to neighborhood type and the city’s planning characteristics. This is an important finding for urban designers and planners working on the integration of public transport and station design in urban areas.

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Across the wide prairie: Exploring fear of crime in a small Canadian municipality

Journal of Criminology ◽

10.1177/0004865821999082 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000486582199908

Author(s):

Tarah Hodgkinson ◽

Kate Lunney

Keyword(s):

Social Control ◽

Fear Of Crime ◽

Informal Social Control ◽

Physical Disorder ◽

Social Predictors ◽

Fear Reduction ◽

Reduction Strategies ◽

Urban Contexts ◽

Criminological Theories

Although fear of crime is well-researched in urban domains, the predictors of fear of crime in non-urban contexts are less established. Using a sample of 559 people, this study aims to address this gap by evaluating the role of individual and ecological-level predictors on fear of crime in a small Canadian municipality. Key findings of this study include support for the influence of social cohesion, informal social control and social and physical disorder on fear in a small municipality. However, no clear relationship is found between gender and fear of crime. Additionally, nuanced relationships between social predictors and fear emerge that may be uniquely explained by non-metropolitan context. The findings have implications for the use of urban-based criminological theories of fear and for the use of crime prevention and fear reduction strategies in non-metropolitan contexts.

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Sense of Place and Feelings of Safety: Examining Young Adults’ Experiences of their Local Environment using Mobile Surveys

City and Community ◽

10.1111/cico.12453 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 656-675

Author(s):

Michael L. Chataway

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Physical Environment ◽

Mobile Application ◽

Local Environment ◽

Social Characteristics ◽

Fear Reduction ◽

Reduction Strategies ◽

Physical Features ◽

Southeast Queensland

This study aims to examine feelings of safety and the correlates to feelings of decreased worry toward crime within individuals’ proximate environments. Data from adults living in Southeast Queensland ( N = 72) were collected using a mobile application. Findings of a thematic analysis of these data suggest that safety perceptions are primarily driven by (a) physical features of the proximate environment, (b) social characteristics of a place, and (c) location familiarity or awareness. This study concludes with a discussion of how these themes may be leveraged to develop more focused fear–reduction strategies that involve modifying features of the physical environment, improving social characteristics of place and increasing knowledge/awareness of place.

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Crime prevention and reduction programs: How does knowing about community initiatives moderate attitudes towards criminal victimisation?

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology ◽

10.1177/0004865817717055 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 239-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michael L Chataway ◽

Timothy C Hart

Keyword(s):

Crime Prevention ◽

Fear Of Crime ◽

Property Crime ◽

Unintended Consequences ◽

Gold Coast ◽

Future Research ◽

Community Programs ◽

Community Initiatives ◽

Fear Reduction ◽

Positive Effects

The current study examines the association between fear of crime and awareness of community programs designed to prevent or reduce crime and social disorder. Data were collected from a community survey of household residents living on the Gold Coast of Australia ( N = 713). Results indicate that those reportedly aware of community initiatives, fear property crime and crimes against persons differently than those reportedly unaware of them. For fear of personal victimisation, awareness of crime prevention programs within an area weakened relationships between (a) perceptions of incivility and social cohesion; (b) perceptions of the consequences of victimisation and likelihood of victimisation; and (c) perceptions of the likelihood of victimisation and worry about personal crime. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications on future research, and strategies for developing crime prevention and fear reduction programs that maximise the positive effects on attitudes towards crime, while minimising their unintended consequences, are also offered.

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'It's a logistical nightmare!' Recommendations for optimising human papillomavirus school-based vaccination experience

Sexual Health ◽

10.1071/sh09140 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 271 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Spring Chenoa Cooper Robbins ◽

Diana Bernard ◽

Kirsten McCaffery ◽

S. Rachel Skinner

Keyword(s):

Human Papillomavirus ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Hpv Vaccination ◽

School Level ◽

Vaccination Program ◽

Future Research ◽

Planning Time ◽

Fear Reduction ◽

School Based ◽

Reduction Strategies

Introduction: To date, no published studies examine procedural factors of the school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program from the perspective of those involved. This study examines the factors that were perceived to impact optimal vaccination experience. Methods: Schools across Sydney were selected to reflect a range of vaccination coverage at the school level and different school types to ensure a range of experiences. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with girls; and one-on-one interviews were undertaken with parents, teachers and nurses until saturation of data in all emergent themes was reached. Focus groups and interviews explored participants’ experiences in school-based HPV vaccination. Transcripts were analysed, letting themes emerge. Results: Themes related to participants’ experience of the organisational, logistical and procedural aspects of the vaccination program and their perceptions of an optimal process were organised into two categories: (1) preparation for the vaccination program and (2) vaccination day strategies. In (1), themes emerged regarding commitment to the process from those involved, planning time and space for vaccinations, communication within and between agencies, and flexibility. In (2), themes included vaccinating the most anxious girls first, facilitating peer support, use of distraction techniques, minimising waiting time girls, and support staff. Discussion: A range of views exists on what constitutes an optimal school-based program. Several findings were identified that should be considered in the development of guidelines for implementing school-based programs. Future research should evaluate how different approaches to acquiring parental consent, and the use of anxiety and fear reduction strategies impact experience and uptake in the school-based setting.

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