On and Off Campus: Examining Fear of Crime in a Rural College Town

Abstract

This study explored emotional fear of crime among university students in a rural college town. More specifically, this study separately examined fear of property and violent crime both on and off campus. Findings indicate that males are more fearful of property crime on campus while females are more fearful of violent crime off campus. Victimization and personal safety are also significantly related to fear of crime both on and off campus. Lastly, perceptions of crime control by the police should be considered as an important independent variable for studying emotional fear. These findings hold important implications for addressing fear of crime among young adults in rural areas. Data used for this study came from administering an online survey to college students.