Mapping fear of crime as a context‐dependent everyday experience that varies in space and time

Abstract

PurposeThere is a current need for innovation in research on the fear of crime to move on from general and static representations and instead approach it as a dynamic phenomenon experienced in everyday life, to inform or evaluate situational interventions.MethodsThis study presents a novel approach to fear of crime research using the framework of routine activities theory and environmental criminology to present it as a specific event characterized by spatial, temporal, and personal variables. We suggest and illustrate a new experience sampling approach to data collection, captured via a mobile phone application.ResultsBy studying the fear of crime in the environment where it occurs, and focusing on a microscale geography with the additional dimension of time, new insight into fear of crime can be attained. Results from a data collection pilot demonstrate significant spatiotemporal variation in individuals' fear of crime levels and hence illustrate the viability of such approaches.ConclusionsWe argue that this new insight can lead to the development of situational interventions which target fear of crime hot spots as they move about in place and time, allowing limited resources to be allocated more efficiently to enhance perceptions of safety.