Fear of Victimization Impacts the Estimation of Criminal Risk

Affective states influence judgment and decision-making among professionals conducting risk assessments, with negative affective increasing perceptions of risk. In criminal justice settings, offenders evoke fear among professionals and public, contributing to heightened perceived recidivism risk, particularly for groups such as those with mental illness. To examine the impact of fear on perceived risk, mental health professionals (n = 101) and students (n = 56) provided fear of victimization ratings and risk estimates for three mental health scenarios. Fear of victimization was significantly associated with increased risk estimates. Implications for risk communication and criminal justice attitudes are discussed.