Situating Fear of Crime : The Prospects for Criminological Research to Use Smartphone Applications to Gather Experience Sampling Data

With few exceptions, the situational dimension of fear of crime has been paid insufficient attention in criminological research. Departing from a theoretical framework of situational mechanisms, we argue that fear of crime should be studied as an experience following a person-setting interaction. Gathering data on situational circumstances, however, is not an easy task as it requires information regarding not only individuals but also time, place and content of a specific setting. However, following the innovative approach by Solymosi etal. (Legal Criminol Psych 20:193–211, 2015), we argue that technological advancements have allowed researchers to utilise the Experience Sampling Method through smartphone applications. This novel approach enables researchers to gather situational data in order to analyse fear of crime as a situational experience. The concluding discussion emphasises the potential practical implications of this knowledge and methods for further research that may contribute to increased knowledge on safety issues in urban communities