Crime and safety-related concerns in a small community

Austin, D. Mark; Woolever, Cynthia; Baba, Yoko

doi:10.1007/bf02887440

Cited by 32 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Empirical research testing the social integration model has produced somewhat mixed results, though substantial evidence appears to suggest an inverse relationship between levels of social integration and fear of crime (Austin et al, 1994;Baba & Austin, 1989;Hunter & Baumer, 1982;Kanan & Pruitt, 2002;Krannich, Berry, & Greider, 1989;McGarrell, Giacomazzi, & Thurman, 1997;Rountree & Land, 1996b). Bursik and Grasmick (1993) and Gibson et al (2002) argue, however, that prior measures of social integration lack methodological consistency, thus making subjective cross-study comparisons more difficult.…”

Section: Social Integration Modelmentioning

confidence: 94%

A Multilevel Analysis of the Vulnerability, Disorder, and Social Integration Models of Fear of Crime

2008

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The current research tests three conceptual models designed to explain citizens' fear of crime-vulnerability, disorder, and social integration. These models are assessed for differential impact across the cognitive and affective dimensions of fear of crime. The analysis reported here considers the consecutive and simultaneous influence of individual-and city-level factors using multilevel modeling techniques. Recently collected survey data for 2,599 citizens nested within 21 cities across Washington State provide the empirical evidence for the analysis. Results indicate that the disorder model is best able to explain variation in both the cognitive and affective dimensions of citizens' fear of crime across cities. The vulnerability and social integration models explain significantly less variation. Further, the vulnerability model lacks directional consistency across the observed dimensions of fear. Societal implications of the research findings are discussed.Keywords Fear of crime Á Victimization Á Multilevel analysis Á Vulnerability Á Disorder Á Social integration Fear of crime has been recognized as a significant social problem, affecting the quality of life across various demographic and socio-economic conditions. Attempts to understand the dynamics underlying the fear of crime have led to numerous empirical and theoretical developments. Three dominant models have emerged as possible explanations of variation in fear of crime among citizens-the vulnerability, disorder, and social integration models. While each of these models has received some

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Section: Social Integration Modelmentioning

confidence: 94%

A Multilevel Analysis of the Vulnerability, Disorder, and Social Integration Models of Fear of Crime

2008

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“…Among the most prominent are the victimization model (Gates & Rohe, 1987;Liska, Sanchirico, & Reed, 1988;Skogan & Maxfield, 1981), the disorder model (Gates & Rohe, 1987;LaGrange, Ferraro, & Supancic, 1992;Lewis & Salem, 1986;Skogan, 1990;Skogan & Maxfield, 1981), and the social integration model (Austin et al, 1994;Hartnagel, 1979;Hunter & Baumer, 1982;Lewis & Salem, 1986). In this section, we describe each model briefly and summarize the empirical evidence to support it.…”

Section: Past Researchmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Some empirical research has reported that the amount of personal integration into social networks is associated with perceptions of fear of crime and the risk of victimization in community settings (Austin, Woolever, & Baba, 1994;Hartnagel, 1979;Hunter & Baumer, 1982;Lewis & Salem, 1986;McGarrell, Giacomazzi, & Thurman, 1997;Rountree & Land, 1996;Taylor, Gottfredson, & Brower, 1984;Wolfe, Lex, & Yancey, 1968); however, the findings of this body of research have been inconsistent. Studies that have supported such a link have tended to concur with a systemic approach to the study of municipal communities and their respective neighborhoods involving analyses at both the micro-and macrolevels (for a review of systemic theory, see Bursik & Grasmick, 1993;Taylor, 1996).…”

mentioning

confidence: 95%

Social integration, individual perceptions of collective efficacy, and fear of crime in three cities

et al. 2002

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“…With respect to age, older persons are likely to express lower levels of subjective personal safety (Sims & Johnston, 2004;Baba & Austin, 1989). Some empirical research also reports a positive correlation between socioeconomic status and level of perceived safety (Austin, Woolever, & Baba, 1994) as well as support for capital punishment (Young, 1991). Finally, ethnicity is associated with sentencing attitudes.…”

Section: Sentencing Attitudes and Subjective Proximity To Crimementioning

confidence: 88%

Subjective Proximity to Crime or Social Representations? Explaining Sentencing Attitudes in Switzerland

2009

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Lay sentencing attitudes are considered in the light of two theoretical perspectives. The first perspective views sentencing attitudes as parts of broader sets of social representations anchored in one's position in the social structure. The second perspective explains sentencing attitudes by their subjective experiences of crime. This paper tests both theories by performing a series of multiple regressions on two dimensions of sentencing: punishment goals and severity of punishment. Empirical data comes from a quantitative survey conducted in Switzerland. Findings reveal that indicators of subjective proximity to crime largely account for sentencing attitudes. Nevertheless, social representations of crime measured by causes of crime also have a significant impact on sentencing attitudes. Implications of these findings for sentencing in Western democracies are discussed.

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Crime and safety-related concerns in a small community

Cited by 32 publications

References 25 publications

A Multilevel Analysis of the Vulnerability, Disorder, and Social Integration Models of Fear of Crime

A Multilevel Analysis of the Vulnerability, Disorder, and Social Integration Models of Fear of Crime

Social integration, individual perceptions of collective efficacy, and fear of crime in three cities

Subjective Proximity to Crime or Social Representations? Explaining Sentencing Attitudes in Switzerland

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