Fear of Criminal Violence and the African American Elderly: Assessment of a Crime Prevention Strategy

This study assesses an intervention model for reducing fear of criminal violence among the African American elderly. Seniors aged 55 and older $(N = 31)$ participated in four crime prevention workshops. Post-test analyses determined the extent to which fear of crime was correlated with perceived personal safety, avoidance behaviors, and home protection behaviors. Significantly, 83% of the post-test group, compared to 68% at pretesting, indicated feeling safer in their neighborhoods at night. Significant post-test correlations were noted regarding the following avoidance behaviors and fear of crime: going out with another person, planning one's route to avoid danger, taking something along for protection, and telephoning a friend upon returning home. Notably, 45% reported owning a gun for home protection compared to 29% before the intervention.