Fear of crime in the United States: causes, consequences, and contradictions

This research examines female gun ownership trends from 1973 to 2010. Nationally representative General Social Survey data are used to compare rates for male and female gun ownership. In light of the specific marketing trends by gun manufacturers beginning in the mid-1990s as well as previous findings within the literature, we test (a) whether an increase in female gun ownership is observed from 1973 to 2010, (b) whether female gun owners report increased fear of crime, and (c) the extent to which other gun-owning motivations, especially hunting, shape women’s gun ownership. Our analysis confirms a decline in women’s gun ownership, but in contrast to previous studies emphasizing a link between fear of crime and female gun ownership, we find that hobbies and lifestyle factors may better explain women’s interests in firearms. We could conclude by highlighting avenues for new research that better take into account the heterogeneity of gun ownership in the United States.

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Collective Security, Fear of Crime, and Support for Concealed Firearms on a University Campus in the Western United States

Criminal Justice Review ◽

10.1177/0734016816686660 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 77-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Joseph De Angelis ◽

Terressa A. Benz ◽

Patrick Gillham

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Workplace Violence ◽

Fear Of Crime ◽

The United States ◽

Political Orientation ◽

Western United States ◽

Employee Support ◽

University Campuses ◽

Potential Factors ◽

Demographic Background

Recently, a number of state legislatures in the United States have sought to loosen restrictions on the carrying of concealed firearms on university campuses. Often these legislative initiatives are driven by the argument that concealed firearms on campuses will deter crime. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to variation in employee support for the carrying of concealed firearms. Moreover, little is known about the intersection between fear of crime, trust in the police, and support for concealed firearms on campus. Given that, this study draws on a survey administered to a random sample of faculty and staff at one large rural university in the Western United States ( n = 1,170). More specifically, this study examines whether fear of workplace violence and/or trust in police and local government predict/predicts support for concealed firearms on campus, even after controlling for other potential factors such as prior victimization, political orientation, and demographic background. Results indicate that fear of violence and distrust in the police/government are strongly related to support for concealed carry, though a number of other factors matter, including political orientation, social capital, and respondent demographic characteristics.

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Driven to extremes: Fear of crime and the rise of the sport utility vehicle in the United States

Crime Media Culture An International Journal ◽

10.1177/1741659005054024 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 149-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Josh Lauer

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Fear Of Crime ◽

The United States ◽

Sport Utility Vehicle ◽

Utility Vehicle

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Book Review: Fear of crime in the United States: Causes, consequences, and contradictions

Criminal Justice Review ◽

10.1177/0734016814568553 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 230-231

Author(s):

Tabetha Griffis Bennett

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Fear Of Crime ◽

The United States

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The Victim's Experience and Fear of Crime

International Review of Victimology ◽

10.1177/026975809800500201 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 93-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Helmut Kury ◽

Theodore Ferdinand

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Fear Of Crime ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Large Data ◽

The United States ◽

Fundamental Concept ◽

Large Data Sets ◽

Data Sets ◽

Free Society ◽

Public Concern

With the rapid development of sophisticated victim surveys, the fear of crime has emerged as a fundamental concept in theoretical and practical discourse. Since publication of the Report of the President's Commission The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society (1967), the fear of offenders has become a major public concern in the United States alongside the mounting problem of crime itself. The flourishing of national crime surveys in the United States and in Europe has in turn led to large data sets examining carefully not only the knowledge and experience of the victims regarding criminality but also the fear of offenders and its causes ( cf. Herbert and Darwood, 1992; p. 145). We shall offer first, a review of research on these issues in Europe and the United States, and then we shall report our research that has probed these issues in a focused manner.

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U.S. and Canadian College Students’ Fear of Crime: A Comparative Investigation of Fear of Crime and Its Correlates

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/08862605211001477 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052110014

Author(s):

Leah E. Daigle ◽

Katelyn Hancock ◽

Travis C. Chafin ◽

Andia Azimi

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

College Students ◽

Fear Of Crime ◽

Health Assessment ◽

The United States ◽

Comparative Investigation ◽

College Health ◽

National College Health Assessment ◽

College Health Assessment ◽

Cross National

Being fearful of crime is, unfortunately, a common experience. Research shows that many factors influence a person’s fear of crime, demonstrating that certain groups are generally more fearful than others. Even though they are typically young, college students express being fearful of crime on and off campus. What has yet to be investigated is whether college students who attend school in the United States are fearful at similar levels to their Canadian counterparts. Further, the correlates of fear of crime may also be different. To explore these issues, data from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment II survey of U.S. and Canadian college students are used. Results show that Canadian college students generally perceive their safety as being higher than U.S. college students, even though they face elevated victimization risks. Further, some correlates of fear of crime differ for U.S. and Canadian college students. These findings suggest the need for additional cross-national comparative work to see if patterns generalize across contexts.

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