Fear of Crime

Fear of crime is an important strand of criminal psychology that has garnered much attention since the mid-20th century. However, fear of crime has yet to have a universally accepted definition, and as the focus of policing turns increasingly to cybercrime, the concept potentially needs revisiting once again. According to Chris Hale, at its most basic level, the fear of crime refers to the fear of being a victim of crime rather than the fear of crime itself (or the probability of being a victim of a crime). Several definitions have been put forward: John E. Conklin defines it in terms of a sense of personal security in the community, whereas Jeanette Covington and Ralph B. Taylor defines it more in terms of the emotional ...