Personal Security and Fear of Crime as Predictors of Subjective Well-Being

Abstract

Over the last decade, influenced by various political, economical, and social changes, human security issues have become relevant topics at the global, national, and local level. In the present article, we were interested in how the fear of crime and perceptions of crime and substance abuse in the local area were associated with subjective well-being. The survey was conducted in November 2008 through face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of Croatian citizens (N = 4,000). Fear of crime was assessed by feelings of safety in three specific situations at night (in neighborhood streets, at home, and in public transport). Additionally, perceptions of the prevalence of different types of crime and substance abuse (corruption, minor crime, violent crime, delinquency, domestic abuse, alcoholism, drug abuse) in the local area were measured. Overall life satisfaction was used as well-being measure. Measures of various demographic variables were also included in the analyses (i.e., age, gender, income, education level), as well as the objective measures of urbanization level and crime rates in the counties where participants live. In accordance with previous findings, results showed relatively little association of most demographic characteristics with fear and perception of crime and substance abuse. The urbanization level and crime rates were positively related to both fear and perceptions of crime. Living in more urbanized areas and higher crime rates were associated with higher fear of crime and greater perception of all types of crime as problems. While controlling for demographic variables and objective measures of local conditions, better life satisfaction was significantly but weakly predicted by higher feelings of safety and by lower perceptions of corruption in the local area.