Abstract
Fear is associated with several adverse health behaviors and outcomes. Fear of crime is associated with less exercise and outdoor activity, worse self-rated health status, and increased BMI. Fear of crime is also associated with more anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. Yet little is known about the predictors of fear of specific types of crime. The objectives of this study are to (1) determine the prevalence of fear of violent victimization and fear of property crime among university students, (2) assess the association between sociodemographic predictors and (a) fear of violent victimization and (b) property crimes. A cross-sectional study was conducted among university students (n = 1415). Data on sociodemographics, fear of a variety of types of violent crime (physical assault, sexual assault, robbery/burglary, murder, and verbal threats), and property crime (arson, theft, and vandalism) were collected using online surveys. Summary variables for fear of violent crime and fear of property crime were created. Wilcoxen rank-sum and Kruskal–Wallis tests, and multivariate negative binomial regression models were used to assess relationships between sociodemographic predictors and fear variables. Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students had the highest mean fear scores of physical assault, robbery/burglary, arson, and theft, while fear of verbal threats and vandalism were highest among Middle Eastern students. Muslim students reported the highest fear of verbal threats, arson, and vandalism. In multivariate models, fear of violent crime was significantly higher among Black (ME: 5.59), Hispanic (ME: 5.16), Asian (ME: 3.07), female (ME: 8.19), transgender/gender non-conforming (ME: 9.82), gay (ME: 12.16), and bisexual (ME: 3.74) students while fear of property crime was significantly higher among Black (ME: 2.81), Hispanic (ME: 2.10), Asian (ME: 1.84), female (ME: 2.49), and gay (ME: 3.11) students. Minority students have higher levels of fear than their peers. Universities must consider the issue of fear among minority students in an effort to prevent this public health issue.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ambrey, C. L., Fleming, C. M., & Manning, M. (2014). Perception or reality, what matters most when it comes to crime in your neighbourhood? Social Indicators Research,119(2), 877–896. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-013-0521-6.
Boateng, F. D., & Adjekum-Boateng, N. S. (2017). Differential perceptions of fear of crime among college students: The race factor. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice,15(2), 138–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377938.2017.1310683.
Brunton-Smith, I. (2011). Untangling the relationship between fear of crime and perceptions of disorder: Evidence from a longitudinal study of young people in England and Wales. British Journal of Criminology,51(6), 885–899. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azr064.
Chandola, T. (2001). The fear of crime and area differences in health. Health & Place,7, 105–116.
Cops, D. (2013). The role of autonomous mobility in public space on fear of crime among adolescents. Journal of Youth Studies,16(8), 1105–1122. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2013.793790.
Cops, D., & Pleysier, S. (2011). “Doing gender” in fear of crime: The impact of gender identity on reported levels of fear of crime in adolescents and young adults. British Journal of Criminology,51(1), 58–74. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azq065.
Couture, M.-C., Garcia, D., Whaley, R., & Grinshteyn, E. (2020). Effect of fear of victimization on hazardous alcohol drinking, tobacco, and marijuana use among university students: A tale of two sexes. Addictive Behaviors,106, 106355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106355.
DeMartini, K. S., & Carey, K. B. (2012). Optimizing the use of the AUDIT for alcohol screening in college students. Psychological Assessment,24(4), 954–963. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028519.
Ferraro, K. F. (1996). Women’s fear of victimization: Shadow of sexual assault? Social Forces,75(2), 667–690. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/75.2.667.
Fish, J. S., Ettner, S., Ang, A., & Brown, A. F. (2011). Association of perceived neighborhood safety on body mass index. American Journal of Public Health,100, 2296–2303.
Fisher, B. S., & Sloan, J. J. (2003). Unraveling the fear of victimization among college women: Is the “shadow of sexual assault hypothesis” supported? Justice Quarterly,20(3), 633–659. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418820300095641.
Fox, K. A., Nobles, M. R., & Piquero, A. R. (2009). Gender, crime victimization and fear of crime. Security Journal,22(1), 24–39. https://doi.org/10.1057/sj.2008.13.
Green, G. (2002). Fear of crime and health in residential tower blocks: A case study in Liverpool, UK. The European Journal of Public Health,12(1), 10–15. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/12.1.10.
Grinshteyn, E. G., Cunningham, W. E., Eisenman, D. P., Andersen, R., & Ettner, S. L. (2017). Fear of violent crime and anxiety/depression among adolescents. Mental Health & Prevention,8, 39–45.
Grinshteyn, E. G., Eisenman, D. P., Cunningham, W. E., Andersen, R., & Ettner, S. L. (2016). Individual-and neighborhood-level determinants of fear of violent crime among adolescents. Family & Community Health,39, 103–112.
Halldórsdóttir, K. (2015). Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS): Improving academic performance among college students with PTSD symptoms [Reykjavic University]. Retrieved September 1, 2019. https://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/22494/1/Psychology%20Thesis%20-%20Katri%cc%81n%20Mjo%cc%88ll%20%28Sixth%20edition%29.pdf.
Jaycox, L. H., Kataoka, S. H., Stein, B. D., Langley, A. K., & Wong, M. (2012). Cognitive behavioral intervention for trauma in schools. Journal of Applied School Psychology,28(3), 239–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377903.2012.695766.
Johansson, K., Hasselberg, M., & Laflamme, L. (2009). Exploring the neighborhood: A web-based survey on the prevalence and determinants of fear among young adolescent girls and boys. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health,21(3), 347–359. https://doi.org/10.1515/IJAMH.2009.21.3.347.
Khubchandani, J., Brey, R., Kotecki, J., Kleinfelder, J., & Anderson, J. (2016). The psychometric properties of PHQ-4 Depression and Anxiety Screening Scale among college students. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing,30(4), 457–462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2016.01.014.
Lane, J. (2006). Exploring fear of general and gang crimes among Juveniles on probation: The impacts of delinquent behaviors. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice,4(1), 34–54. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204005282311.
Lee, D. R., & Hilinski-Rosick, C. M. (2012). The role of lifestyle and personal characteristics on fear of victimization among university students. American Journal of Criminal Justice,37(4), 647–668. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-011-9136-0.
Lee, M. R., & Hayes, T. C. (2005). Decline in homicide victimization and the changing share of homicide victimization in rural areas during the 1990s: A research note. Criminal Justice Studies,18(4), 393–401. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786010500157573.
Lorenc, T., Clayton, S., Neary, D., Whitehead, M., Petticrew, M., Thomson, H., et al. (2012). Crime, fear of crime, environment, and mental health and wellbeing: Mapping review of theories and causal pathways. Health & Place,18(4), 757–765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.04.001.
Lorenc, T., Petticrew, M., Whitehead, M., Neary, D., Clayton, S., & Wright, K. (2013a). Fear of crime and the environment: Systematic review of UK qualitative evidence. BMC Public Health,13, 496.
Lorenc, T., Petticrew, M., Whitehead, M., Neary, D., Clayton, S., Wright, K., et al. (2013b). Environmental interventions to reduce fear of crime: Systematic review of effectiveness. Systematic Reviews,2, 30.
Martin, E. (1981). A twist on the Heisenberg principle: Or, how crime affects its measurement. Social Indicators Research,9(2), 197–223. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286197.
May, D. C., & Dunaway, R. G. (2000). Predictors of fear of criminal victimization at school among adolescents. Sociological Spectrum,20(2), 149–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/027321700279938.
McKay, T., Lindquist, C. H., & Misra, S. (2017). Understanding (and acting on) 20 years of research on violence and LGBTQ + communities. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838017728708.
Meyer, D., & Grollman, E. A. (2014). Sexual orientation and fear at night: Gender differences among sexual minorities and heterosexuals. Journal of Homosexuality,61(4), 453–470. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2013.834212.
Özaşçılar, M., & Ziyalar, N. (2017). Unraveling the determinants of fear of crime among men and women in Istanbul: Examining the impact of perceived risk and fear of sexual assault. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology,61(9), 993–1010. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15613334.
Pearson, A. L., & Breetzke, G. D. (2014). The association between the fear of crime, and mental and physical wellbeing in New Zealand. Social Indicators Research,119, 281–294.
Perry, B., & Alvi, S. (2012). ‘We are all vulnerable’: The in terrorem effects of hate crimes. International Review of Victimology,18(1), 57–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269758011422475.
Rader, N. (2017). Fear of crime (Vol. 1). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.013.10.
Roman, C. G., & Chalfin, A. (2008). Fear of walking outdoors. American Journal of Preventive Medicine,34(4), 306–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2008.01.017.
Ross, C. E. (1993). Fear of victimization and health. Journal of Quantitative Criminology,9(2), 159–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01071166.
Seigers, D. K. L., & Carey, K. B. (2010). Screening and brief interventions for alcohol use in college health centers: A review. Journal of American College Health,59(3), 151–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2010.502199.
Skogan, W. (1986). Fear of crime and neighborhood change. Crime and Justice,8, 203–229.
Skogan, W. G. (1987). The impact of victimization on fear. Crime & Delinquency,33(1), 135–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128787033001008.
Stafford, M., Chandola, T., & Marmot, M. (2007). Association between fear of crime and mental health and physical functioning. American Journal of Public Health,97, 2076–2081.
Steinmetz, N. M., & Austin, D. M. (2014). Fear of criminal victimization on a college campus: A visual and survey analysis of location and demographic factors. American Journal of Criminal Justice,39(3), 511–537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-013-9227-1.
Stotzer, R. L. (2009). Violence against transgender people: A review of United States data. Aggression and Violent Behavior,14(3), 170–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2009.01.006.
Sulemana, I. (2015). The effect of fear of crime and crime victimization on subjective well-being in Africa. Social Indicators Research,121(3), 849–872. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-014-0660-4.
Warr, M. (1995). Poll trends: Public opinion on crime and punishment. The Public Opinion Quarterly,59(2), 296–310.
Funding
Funding was provided by CRASE Interdisciplinary Action Group Grant.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grinshteyn, E., Whaley, R. & Couture, MC. Minority Report: Prevalence of Fear of Violent and Property Crimes Among a Diverse College Sample. Soc Indic Res 150, 695–710 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-020-02321-y
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-020-02321-y