NCJ Number
68680
Date Published
Unknown
Length
72 pages
Annotation
CRIME AND FEAR OF CRIME AMONG ELDERLY RESIDENTS OF URBAN AREAS ARE EXAMINED IN REGARD TO THEIR EFFECTS UPON LEISURE BEHAVIOR OR THE USE OF PUBLIC RECREATION AND PARK SERVICES.
Abstract
THIS REPORT, PREPARED AT THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION, FOR A PRIVATE FOUNDATION, FOCUSES ON THE IMPACT OF CRIME AND FEAR OF CRIME ON THE LEISURE TIME BEHAVIOR OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND THEIR USE OF PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITIES IN URBAN SETTINGS. MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES WORKING IN RECREATION/SENIOR CITIZEN CENTERS IN HARRISBURG AND PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, WERE QUERIED BY MEANS OF QUESTIONNAIRES ON FEAR OF CRIME AND ITS IMPACT ON THE USE OF PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITIES BY ELDERLY CITIZENS. FORTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE 4,500 MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS (RESIDENTS OF EAST COAST CITIES WITH 100,000 PLUS POPULATION) AND FORTY-FOUR PERCENT OF RECREATION AND PARK EMPLOYEES RESPONDED TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE. MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS WERE FOUND TO BE BETTER EDUCATED, MORE AFFLUENT, HEALTHIER, AND MORE ACTIVE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE HOME THAN AVERAGE FOR THEIR AGE CATEGORIES. FREQUENT USERS OF CENTERS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, TO FEAR CRIME, AND TO HAVE BEEN CRIME VICTIMS THAN NON-USERS. USERS OF PARKS WERE LIKELY TO BE MALES OF HIGH EDUCATION AND IN GOOD HEALTH. FEAR OF CRIME AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF THE PARTICIPANT WERE FOUND TO BE IMPORTANT VARIABLES IN SHAPING THE USE OF PARKS AND/OR RECREATION/SENIOR CITIZEN CENTERS, AS WELL AS THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE PARK OR CENTER. FEAR OF CRIME WAS FOUND TO BE PERVASIVE AMONG THE POPULATION SURVEYED AND FORMER CRIME VICTIMS (9 PERCENT OF ALL THOSE SURVEYED) WERE PARTICULARLY FEARFUL. A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PRESENTED CONCERNING REDUCING CRIME AND FEAR OF CRIME AT PUBLIC RECREATION/SENIOR CITIZEN CENTERS AND PARKS, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE TRAVEL PHASE OF THIS ATTENDANCE. APPROXIMATELY 70 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS QUESTIONNAIRE AND RESPONSES IN PERCENTAGES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)