Reactions to crime: a multilevel analysis of fear of crime and defensive and participatory behavior

This study examines the associations between fear of crime and individual constrained behavior. Specifically, to address the inconsistent findings of previous research, we investigate how emotional fear of crime and perceived risk of victimization are associated with the use of defensive behaviors. We also extend previous research by examining the relationships between fear of crime and perceived risk and participatory behavior. The results of multilevel models based on survey data from Seattle show that fear of crime was positively associated with three individual defensive behaviors, and perceived risk was negatively associated with two participatory behaviors. The results suggest that emotional fear increases individualistic target-hardening behaviors, while perceptions of risk reduce participation in community-wide crime-prevention activities.