Fear of Crime: What Can Children Tell Us?

This paper attempts to re-address a number of issues raised in debates on fear of crime, and in particular women’s fear of crime, with the argument for research of a much neglected section of the population, children. It is argued that gendered socialisation practices are crucial during the adolescent years with the emergence of the individual as ‘sexual being’, so leading to differential fear of crime between the sexes. Developmental fear processes are postulated and related to existing theories on global gender constructs and the notion of fear. Evidence is elicited from adult victimisation surveys, and from current research on adolescents. Future research directions and policy implications are examined.