Fear of crime among residents of rural counties: an analysis by gender

Abstract

Research often overlooks rural populations in explaining criminal justice phenomena, despite variant social and economic patterns. The current study considers fear of crime among rural residents, particularly as it relates with social experiences, prior victimization, and respondent characteristics. In particular, gender is considered not only as a covariate but the unique patterns of fear of crime in comparing male and female models. Using survey data from a nationally representative sample, the results demonstrate some parallels but also some departure from prior fear of crime research. The results indicate social perceptions differ in rural spaces, highlighting the importance of broader social experiences in explaining fear of crime. The findings demonstrate predictive mechanisms operate differently for males and females. Overall, these findings enhance the understanding of fear of crime in different settings and by gender.