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Genesis of 'Fear of Crime'

NCJ Number
193012
Journal
Theoretical Criminology Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2001 Pages: 467-485
Author(s)
Murray Lee
Date Published
2001
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article tracks the origin of 'fear of crime,' and analyzed its effects on research and its relationship between criminological knowledge, and government practices.
Abstract
It was determined that the definition of “the fear of crime” was subjective because it was based on interpretation. For example, the government’s idea of knowledge and power is based on statistical data. This in turn leads to the belief that 'fear of crime’ is naturalized through criminological inquiry, and "governmental regulation." This naturalization obscures the role disciplines like criminology have and continue to play in the production of 'fear of crime' discourse. This debate leads to confusion because both these ideas of knowledge and power are competing with each other as they attempt to persuade the public to manage their own fears Lastly, it was found that if research interrogated the concept of ‘fear of crime,’ and failed to place the researcher within the inquiry it was “flawed.” Notes and references