Reducing Perceived Risk and Fear of Victimization on Campus: A Panel Study of Faculty Members, Staff, and Students

Abstract

Recent media attention to crime and violence on college campuses may create the perception that crime is a major problem on many college campuses. However, little empirical analysis has been done to examine whether members of the campus community perceive this to be the case and what factors affect fear of crime in a campus setting. Using data collected from a two-year panel study of crime and related issues at a large, urban, research university, this study examines the extent changes in police patrol tactics and upgrading of campus lighting affected faculty, staff, and students' perceived risk and fear of victimization. Multivariate logit analyses revealed that the best predictor of fear and risk at Time 2 were levels of fear and risk at Time 1 and that changes in police patrol and campus lighting generally had little affect on fear and perceived risk. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of this study for reducing perceived risk and fear of victimization among members of the campus community.