The influence of prior victimization and other factors on college students’ fear of crime and perception of safety

ABSTRACT

This research examines how college students’ fear of crime and perception of safety at a university relates to prior victimization, knowledge of others’ victimization, perception of likelihood of victimization, and worry about a school shooting. Data for this research come from online surveys completed in 2016 by 133 randomly selected undergraduate students attending a university located in the eastern United States. Results show no statistically significant difference in fear on campus for research participants who had experienced prior victimization on or off campus compared to those who had no such experience. There is a statistically significant difference in perception of safety at the university between those who experienced victimization off campus compared to those who had not. However, there is no statistically significant difference in safety perception between those who experienced victimization on campus and those who had not. Results indicate that variables that predict fear on campus and perception of safety at the university differ, confirming that fear of crime and perception of safety are not the same. Recommendations to reduce students’ fear and improve perception of safety are offered.

KEYWORDS:

• Fear of crime
• Perception of safety
• Prior victimization
• Indirect victimization
• Campus shooting

Highlights

• No significant difference in fear between college students who have experienced victimization on or off campus and those who have not.

• Significant difference in safety perceptions between research participants who have experienced off-campus victimization compared to participants who have not.

• No significant difference in safety perceptions between research participants who have experienced on-campus victimization compared to participants who have not.

• Positive correlation between fear of crime and perception of likelihood of victimization.

• Negative correlation between perception of safety and perception of likelihood of victimization.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Professors Lauren Shermer and Suzanne Mannes for feedback on previous drafts of this manuscript.

Notes

¹ All information was taken from the U.S. Census (https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/). An exact reference is not provided because this would reveal the location and therefore would also reveal the university since there is only one university in this location. The university is not being revealed. The poverty level varies by the number of people in the household. In 2015, the poverty level for a household with one person was $11,770, and $24,036 for a family of four (two adults, two children) (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, 2015).

² All information was gathered from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Report (https://ucr.fbi.gov). An exact reference is not provided because this would reveal the location and therefore would also reveal the university since there is only one university in this location. The university is not being revealed.

³ Schildkraut et al. (2015) asked students to agree or disagree with the statement: I believe a school shooting could happen at my school. Kaminski et al. (2010) asked students how fearful they were of being murdered while on campus and how fearful they were of being threatened with a gun or knife while on campus (10-point scales).

⁴ For example, all variables on the perception of likelihood of victimization of specific crimes.

⁵ Results of ANOVAs available upon request.

⁶ Not all respondents who indicated they had been a victim of a crime off campus answered the open-ended question asking them to list the crime.

⁷ Results of t-tests available upon request. Due to page limitations, all results are not presented in tables.

⁸ Results of t-tests available upon request. Due to page limitations, all results are not presented in tables.

⁹ As noted in the methods section, the gender and racial make-up of the student body where this research was conducted is representative of colleges and universities in the U.S.