Effect of implementing security measures on fear of crime

Abstract

ABSTRACT Several studies have explored the relationship between the implementation of security measures and people’s fear of crime. However, most were cross-sectional studies, and the causality between two variables is not clear. This study examined the relevant causal relationships using scenario-based experiments. In Study 1, Japanese university students (N = 180) read one of the two messages, and the fear of crime was found to be decreased in participants who received a message about guards patrolling. This result was inconsistent with previous research reported that the perception of security measures positively correlates with fear of crime, and inspired Study 2. In Study 2, Japanese participants (N = 105) read one of three scenarios that involved security measures against serious crime (the serious condition), security measures against minor crime (the minor condition), or no security measures (the control condition). The results showed that fear of crime was increased more in participants in the serious condition than in the other two conditions; fear of crime in the minor condition remained around the same level with that in the control condition. These results support the hypothesis that implementing security measures increases fear of crime only when security measures are suggestive of serious crimes.