Individual and Neighborhood Influences on Fear of Crime

Fear of crime is a widespread social problem in the United States. Using a sample of five neighborhoods in a medium-sized Midwestern city, this research examines the individual and neighborhood characteristics that are related to fear of crime. Personal victimization and high crime rates in neighborhoods are not closely related to fear of crime. While previous research on fear of crime tends to examined the role of either individual characteristics or neighborhood characteristics, we suggest the need to also examine the interaction between individual and neighborhood characteristics in order to understand fear levels. The common factor underlying both individual fear of crime and high levels of fear in neighborhoods is a sense of loss of control