Date of Award

8-1-2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Criminology and Criminal Justice

First Advisor

Dr. Dennis W. Roncek

Abstract

This research used data from the 2004 Omaha Conditions Survey to examine the relationship between the fear of crime and individual behavioral reactions to that fear. This research analyzed both protective and collective responses to the fear of crime. The analyses related both individual characteristics and neighborhood crime rates to protective and collective behavioral responses to the fear of crime. The research evaluated the effects of individual characteristics and neighborhood crime rates on reactions to the fear of crime using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM). The fear of crime was found to have a statistically significant effect on individuals owning a dog for protection, owning a gun for protection, installing special locks, and keeping residence lights on at night. The fear of crime did not have a statistically significant effect on individuals participating in collective behaviors. The violent crime rate did have a statistically significant effect on the influence of the fear of crime on owning a gun, installing special locks, and installing a security system. For other behaviors tested, the violent crime rate had inconsistent effects on the influence of the fear of crime and on the intercepts of the equations. For the most part, the results supported the assertion that the reality of violent crime in an area elevates the intensity of the reactions to the fear of crime.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Criminal Justice and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts. Copyright William P. McCarty August, 2004.

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