Fear of Crime in the United States

Fear of Crime in the United States: Causes, Consequences, and Contradictions examines the nature and extent of crime-related fear. The authors describe and evaluate key research findings in the specific areas of methodology; gender, age, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status; contextual predictors; and the consequences of fear of crime. They discuss the improvement of fear of crime measures over time; the consistent finding that women are more afraid of crime; the impact of age, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on fear; and the importance of environmental factors (such as witnessing crime and perceptions of diversity, disorder, and decline) and indirect victimization (through acquaintances and the media) on fear. The book also describes the physical, psychological, behavioral, and social effects of fear of crime. In the end, the authors tie the findings together to suggest important policy and research implications from the wealth of available research.

There is no other book of which I am aware that so masterfully reviews empirical studies on fear of crime during the past half century to show how the research has changed and will continue to evolve. As long as there is crime, there will be perceptions of risk and fear of victimization; and Lane et al. help one to sift through the research with conceptual precision to formulate the most scientifically valid conclusions about the phenomena. The book is a hedgehog view of the research but points the way to needed research on topics such as fear of terrorism and how social context shapes perceptions of crime. The book is must-reading for those involved in research on victimization or fear of crime. — Kenneth F. Ferraro, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center on Aging and the Life Course, Purdue University

This book consolidates the literature on fear of crime in a way that is unprecedented and that lends much-needed coherence to the area. It is ideal for those who want to understand what fear means in our society, or who plan to undertake research in the field. — Eric Mark Warr, Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin

"...an in-depth look at a fairly new area of crime research [...] a perfect starting point for anyone wishing to embark upon fear of crime research." — Tabetha Griffis Bennett, Criminal Justice Review, Volume 40

"[The book] is useful for researchers, scholars, and policymakers to expand the knowledge of fear of crime research....provides an important overview of the history and state of fear of crime research and creates a great pathway for individuals interested in pursuing fear of crime research." — Sara L. Bryson, Security Journal

The Teacher's Manual is available electronically on a CD or via email. Please contact Beth Hall at bhall@cap-press.com to request a copy. PowerPoint slides are available to professors upon adoption of this book. Download sample slides from the full 227-slide presentation here. If you have adopted the book for a course, contact bhall (at) cap-press (dot) com to request the PowerPoint slides.

Named a 2015 "Outstanding Academic Title" by CHOICE Magazine.

"This exceptional text on the complex subject of the fear of crime in in the US examines a myriad of perspectives and variables from multiple disciplines along with their potential confounding relationships...Summing Up: Highly recommended." — CHOICE Magazine