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Abstract
This research considers the relationship between self-reported health and fear of crime. Fear of crime literature suggests women, the elderly, or the impoverished may experience heightened fear of crime. It is hypothesized that it is a sense of vulnerability that leads individuals to believe they would be unable to protect themselves should an attack occur, increasing their personal fear of crime. We argue in this article that poor self-reported health may also lead to a sense of vulnerability and elevate fear of crime. We test this hypothesis using data from the General Social Survey (GSS). Using a variety of health measures, our results indicate that some indicators of health are related to a heightened fear of crime and that this relationship varies by gender. Women are at a double disadvantage, in that they feel more vulnerable to crime than men, and women also have more negative perceptions of health.
Notes
1A respondent's current state of health can be influenced by viruses or other passing health concerns that might lower their potential responses; however, a broken bone or battling the flu might also make respondents more likely to feel like they are vulnerable and, therefore, more fearful of being victimized.
*p < .05; **p < .01.
2Data on income in the General Social Survey are somewhat limited to very broad categories. We use the $25,000 dichotomy as a general proxy for poverty, as discussed in the literature review.
*p < .05; **p < .01.
*p < .05; **p < .01.