Social Capital, Information, and Perceived Safety from Crime: The Differential Effects of Reassuring Social Connections and Vicarious Victimization*

Abstract

ObjectiveThe study investigates the role of information obtained through local social connections in judgments about the safety of a neighborhood from crime.MethodsThe study employs a neighborhood‐based survey of Seattle residents.ResultsResidents who are embedded in local social networks are more likely to become familiar with their neighbors, and this familiarity is associated with greater perceptions of safety. On the other hand, residents who are embedded in local social networks may also be exposed to accounts of local victimizations by talking with neighbors about local crime problems, which is associated with lower perceptions of neighborhood safety.ConclusionThis work poses an explanation for weak and inconsistent findings in prior research on the role of social connections in perceptions of crime: that connections matter in ways that are dependent on the kinds of information residents receive through them. Connections to broader debates about the value‐neutral role of social networks are discussed.