Cultura de la seguridad pública en Europa

Abstract

Culture can be understood as a system of human adaptation to the environment. When the latter changes, the former also tends to evolve. However, there are cultural inertias that allow us to understand some patterns in the behavior of the population, even in contexts of rapid change such as the current one. Identifying the cultural traits of European countries in the field of public security is the purpose of this article. For this, firstly, a system of indicators is proposed that departs from a theoretical review. They collect aspects of thought and behavior. Secondly, these indicators are applied looking for the best comparative data available according to a series of quality criteria. Broad time series are used to identify trends that are maintained over time and that may result from cultural inertia. The main contribution of this study, compared to previous ones, is to use a wider range of geographical, temporal, and cultural dimensions. With this, a more refined drawing of the different representations and behaviors of the Europe of security is achieved. The text begins by reviewing how the concept of "security culture" has been defined and addressed in the international literature. Next, its key dimensions are identified, a system of indicators is proposed for each of them, and a set of European sources of data on public safety are selected. The work is more descriptive than explanatory of cultural differences. By drawing, in a comparative way, the culture of public safety in Europe, this article also contributes to a better understanding of the current situation in Spain, and to anticipate possible scenarios in a context of strong changes in risks, such as those analyzed in the various contributions to this issue of the magazine.