Fear of Crime and Behavioral Adaptations: Testing the Effects of Fear of Violence on Unstructured Socializing with Peers

ABSTRACT

This study examines whether fear of violent crime experienced by adolescents influences their involvement in unstructured socializing with peers. To test this relationship, we examine data on youth in Chicago collected as part of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN). The results show that the fear of violent crime in neighborhoods and at schools reduces participation in unstructured socializing with peers. However, this result was only observed for adolescents living in neighborhoods with low levels of concentrated disadvantage. This study provides insight into the consequences of fear of crime for individual behavior. Fear of crime can result in withdrawal from social situations, including avoidance of situations that increase the risk for delinquency and victimization.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Notes

¹ In separate models not presented here, three subsamples based on neighborhood concentrated disadvantage were created; the results are consistent with those presented in this paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yue Yuan

YUE (WILSON) YUAN is an assistant professor in the Justice Studies Department. He received his MS in Applied Statistics and Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Indiana University Bloomington. His research interests include the study of perceptions of crime, sentencing, victimization, theories of crime and deviance, and quantitative methods. His current projects investigate how neighborhood structural characteristics and social processes impact individuals’ victimization experiences and perceptions of crime.

Susan McNeeley

SUSAN McNEELEY is a senior research analyst at the Minnesota Department of Corrections. In addition to corrections research, her work has focused on criminological theory and victimology.