FEAR OF CRIME AND PERSONAL VULNERABILITY: EXAMINING SELF-REPORTED HEALTH

• Published in: Sociological spectrum Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 141 - 162
• Main Authors: Cossman, Jeralynn S., Rader, Nicole E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.03.2011; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Crime; Fear; Fear & phobias; Fear of Crime; Females; Gender; Gender differences; Health; Opposite Sex Relations; Perceptions; Personal health; Safety; Security; Sex; Social perception; Social sciences; Vulnerability; Women
• ISSN: 0273-2173; 1521-0707
• DOI: 10.1080/02732173.2011.541339

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.