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Crime, Neighborhood Perceptions, and the Underclass: The Relationship Between Fear of Crime and Class Position

NCJ Number
155138
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Dated: (1995) Pages: 163-176
Author(s)
J A Will; J H McGrath
Date Published
1995
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Attempting to supplement previous research examining fear of crime, this article examines how neighborhood fear affects members of the underclass and concludes that examining class relations and fear provides an important insight into understanding the overall problem of fear of crime.
Abstract
The analysis used secondary data from the 1987 General Social Survey to explore the extent to which neighborhood fear and the underclass are complementary areas of research. The analysis focused on fear of crime, poverty status, other demographic characteristics, perceptions of the government, and satisfaction with life and the community. Results revealed that even when controlling for the more commonly examined effects of gender and age, fear among the underclass is much higher than among the nonpoor. Being a resident in a large city is also strongly linked to neighborhood fear, but, regardless of location, the poor are more fearful than the nonpoor. Findings also indicated that some in this group want the government to put resources into programs for the poor and minorities, but this group also suffers from low levels of confidence that government will do the job. Additional research should focus more accurately on the concerns and fears of the underclass. Tables, notes, and 37 references

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