The existence of crime leads to fear of crime among the people living in different neighborhoods. The article by Baton et al., 2017 aims to investigate the special relationship related to fear of crime in a selected location. The study conducted in this article shows that those who live in cities known for high criminal activities are highly likely to develop a fear of crime (Barton et al., 2017). Moreover, fear of crime also changes depending on age, sex, gender. The experience of criminal victimization and the existence of crime in one's area of residence also increase fear of crime. Barton et al. (2017) used a multilevel statistical analysis method to analyze the data used. To come up with better and reliable results, the authors decided to use an area known for high crime rates, the City of Baton, in Louisiana. They also used survey analysis to come up with more data to corroborate or refute some of their findings and shed light on the fear of crime. The author notes that despite the dramatic decrease in criminal activities since 1990, some people still fear crime that originates from one mile of their area of residence. Hence, it is essential to examine spatial relationships of crime and fear of being victimized for criminal activities (Barton et al., 2017).
The purpose of the study was to investigate the fear of crime in relation to the existence of neighborhood criminal activities or being victimized. The author of the article found it essential to examine the fear of crime among people living in a chosen area o residence because such types of fear may lead to different psychological problems. The existence of the very problem also impacts the lives of people differently hence should be investigated from a broader perspective.
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The authors relied on the use of mixed research methods to help explain their data (Barton et al., 2017). They used quantitative and qualitative research methods that collect data for the study (Creswell, 2012). First, Barton et al. (2017) used a stratified sampling method to choose the area of the study and random sampling to choose the participants for the research. The article also used surveys to help collect more data. Using surveys done in other research work helped the authors to corroborate their findings. Relying on previous results and comparing them with their findings was also helpful in making the study results more reliable. Using a mixed-method was essential in helping to show that statistical figures as well as answering the what, where, when, and why the question of any research study.
The results of the study by Barton et al. (2017) showed that many people coming from neighborhoods that were known for increased criminal activities were more likely to be afraid of being victimized. Other factors such as age, gender, race, and experience contributed to a person developing a fear of crime. The results showed that female participants in the Barton Rouge community were more afraid of crime than their male counterparts (Barton et al., 2017). Older people were also more fearful of being victimized or attacked compared to the younger generations. The study also showed that those from minority races were most likely to be victimized of crime and criminal involvement.
The study by Barton et al., (2017) reported that those who had previous experience of criminal activities or those who were once crime victims were also afraid that they would experience the same occurrence in life. Barton et al., (2017) also determined fear of crimes based on the neighborhood and found that those coming from areas with high criminal activities were likely to develop a fear of crime. Similarly, neighborhood civilization and disorder was also possible to increase the rate of crime in any location and hence growing fear of crime and victimization among citizens.
Research Quality
The research by Barton et al. (2017) did not only examine an area of interest to the authors but was also of importance to other people in the chosen city. Previous police reports indicated that Barton City in Louisiana was an area that was known for a high rate of violent crimes (Barton et al., 2017). Thus, the people in this area and other neighborhoods were concerned about the extreme criminal activities that were going on in the area. The residents living within one mile from the location were also concerned about the region's high-level criminal activities. In return, such levels of concern translated to fear of crime and being victimized of the same.
It was essential to examine fear of crime from people and neighborhood perspective because these factors that can either promote or hinder the existence of crime and criminal activities in any locations. Another important thing about the article was that the authors examined criminal activities by looking at factors such as age, gender, race, location, and being a victim of crime (Barton et al., 2017). Many people believe that crime only comes from race, religion, and neighborhood but fails to rely on the effects that criminal activities have on age, gender, and race.
Moreover, it is common to find that people of a particular race become more victimized for criminal activities than others. For example, in the United States, blacks and other minority groups are highly likely to be victimized of crime, making one think that only this group would develop a fear of crime (Bolger & Bolger, 2018). Some people believe that most poor areas are marred with criminal activities (Luo, Ren & Zao, 2016). However, the study has proved that even those areas with better-earning residents may also experience criminal activities (Barton et al., 2017). Using factors such as race, age, and sex to discuss the fear of crime to help readers understand the impact of criminal activities on residents was paramount.
The other important factor in the article is that the authors used mixed methods for data collection. They were able to use statistical methods to present their research finding and data. The researchers also used surveys to find more data for the research. Thus, numerical data was shown in percentages and by calculating the statistical mean of the data (Creswell, 2012). Mixed methods are beneficial in providing various findings of the results. Specifically, the researcher relied on multilevel statistical analysis to present their findings. However, the researchers did not indicate the number of people used for the study. This would make it very hard for people who are not mathematically knowledgeable to understand the arguments based on the statistical mean results.
The researcher relied on using an area that was known to have increased criminal activities, a factor that added more value to the data collected. Using a known location for the study ensured the transferability and validity of the data collected (Creswell, 2012). One thing that s not clear is the specific number of participants who took part in the study. The researchers do not mention the exact number of people they asked or interviewed during their study; this had adverse effects on the ability to use the research results in making proper conclusions. For example, when a researcher uses a large sample from a population, he or she increases the reliability and validity of the data (Creswell, 2012). However, using a small sample from a large population usually reduces the validity of the data collected.
Examining the effects of the location or spatial difference in relation to fear of crime is an essential factor that adds weight to the data collected. Almost every area of the national population experiences criminal activities. However, the prevalence of crime and criminal actions differ from one place to the next hence some areas are said to be high crime areas while others are said to be more secure due to low criminal activities (Bolger & Bolger, 2018).
. Similarly, considering factors such as neighborhood disorders, civility, and social integration, the work of people in a different neighborhood to promote or inhibit fear of Social crime integration is a social factor that examines the ability of people living in the neighborhood to inhibit fear of crime (Barton et al., 2017). The model uses the collective efficacy/social disorganization framework. The framework states that neighborhoods with residential instability, ethnic or racial heterogeneity and concentrated disadvantage have high levels of crime because these factors work in weakening communities, creating loopholes for increased criminal activities.
Looking at social elements such as attitudes, behaviors, and demographic characteristics also enable other people to understand how these factors contribute to the fear of crime or lack of it (Luo, Ren, & Zhao, 2016). Location or residence is vital in shaping people's attitudes and behavior towards crime and criminal activities. For example, those coming from low-crime-level regions are less likely to have a fear of crime or be victimized because they do not experience criminal activities in their locations. However, those coming from areas with high crime rates are highly likely to develop a fear of crime.
The study results showed that those living in areas with high crime rates, such as Baton Rough, Louisiana, were highly likely to develop a fear of crime. This is especially true for those who have been victims of crime (Barton et al., 2017). They always think that danger is lacking somewhere and will strike; the only thing they do not know is when. Aside from using Baton Rouge as their primary area of study, the researcher also referenced other areas with high levels of crime, such as New Orleans, to provide further information on how neighborhood disorder can lead to increased fear of crime. Using these two locations indicated that neighborhood disorder is a model that can be used effectively to evaluate the development of fear of crime among the residents of a given area.
Neighborhood disorder refers to the lack of lawful order in the community. Thus, these are areas with high rates of crime and low policing activities going on. The researchers report that areas with adequate policing activities had low rates of crime. However, those with little involvement of law enforcement officers will highly likely have criminal activities taking place in their surroundings (Yuan & Melde, 2015). Therefore, the authors concluded that the disorder model helped to show that areas with high crime rates had a profound influence on policing activities and, hence, increased fear of crime and victimization among residents.
Several factors play a role in determining how people develop a fear of crime in any area. Gender is one of these factors that the researchers used to examine fear of crime or the fear of being victimized by criminal activities. The research results showed that women were highly likely to fear crime or be afraid of being victimized (Barton et al., 2017). Studies have shown that women are the weaker sex and always surfer the most when terror strikes. Women are more defenseless than men, making them vulnerable to criminal activities, a thought that makes them develop a fear of crime. The research also showed that males were less likely to be afraid of crime, but those who were victims of criminal activities were highly likely to develop a fear of the same.
Age is another critical factor that the researchers observed in the development of fear of crime. The study reported that the elderly are more afraid of crime and criminal activities. They feel defenseless and vulnerable to injury during the crime. They are also a likely target for criminals because they cannot defend themselves with ease (Bolger & Bolger, 2019). Thus, the older adults living in Barton Rouge were more afraid of crime than the younger generations. The race is another issue that promotes or hinders fear of crime and being victimized by criminal activities (Luo, Ren, & Zhao, 2016). Those who come from black and minority communities in the U.S are highly likely to be victimized for crime and criminal activities compared to the natives and white communities
Conclusion
Crime and criminal activities are factors that people around the nations deal with at different levels. The researchers decided to examine the fear of crime and victimization using spatial theory. In the study, the researchers examined factors such as age, gender, race, and location and evaluated the effects that these have on fear of crime. The authors also examined individual characteristics such as attitude, behavior, and characteristics of the demographic in relation to fear of crime and criminalization. Moreover, the authors also used models such as the disorder, social integration, and civilization to help examine the prevalence of the rates of crime in any location.
The study showed that the elderly were highly likely to be afraid of crime and victimization compared to people in the younger generations. Age was an essential determinant of crime and related activities because several studies have indicated that criminal such as robbers sometimes targets the elderly. Gender is another issue that was important in evaluating why individuals became afraid of crime and victimization. It was evident that women were more fearful of crime compared to men. The study also revealed that men developed less fear of criminal victimization; however, those who were victims of criminal activities were highly likely to be afraid.
The race is another issue that the researchers examined. They found that black and other minority groups were at extreme levels of being victims of race, which increased their fear of crime. Just like studies have shown, people from the black community have become victims of racial prejudice relating to crime. Therefore, they are likely to be afraid of crime and related activities. This race played an important role in determining the level of fear of crime in any location.
Factors such as behavior, demographics, and attitude were crucial in helping the researcher find results for the study. They showed that people coming from areas with high criminal activities had negative attitudes towards crime. They were also likely to be afraid of criminal activities. Moreover, the demographic of people living in any area also played a role in fear development. For example, if the more substantial population believes that crime was an issue in their area of residence, most people will be afraid.
Social integration examined the ability to neighborhood residence to deal with the fear of crime and victimizations. Those coming from areas with high rates of criminal activities are likely to be afraid. Social disorder, such as lack of effective policing activities, also leads to the increased fear of crime and victimization (Hinkle & Weisburd, 2008). However, those areas with adequate social order experience less criminal activities and hence are less likely to develop a fear of being victimized. Civilization is the case where residence deals with crime and criminal activities from the legal perspective. Where the residences are not civilized and legal frameworks are not effective, then the residence is likely to become afraid of criminal activities.
The other important aspect of the study results is that its findings will benefit both social policy and theoretical knowledge. Social policies are implemented based on social research that highlights critical problems in different social locations. This research will help policymakers in Louisiana come up with appropriate approaches to help eliminate the prevalence of crime in the City of Barton and New Orleans. It provides policymakers with vital information on the effects of crime on the lives of the local area residents. The results will also help impact theoretical knowledge by helping law enforcement and other people concerned with solving criminal issues to know how to localize their studies and predict findings.
References
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Bolger, P. C., & Bolger, M. A. (2019). Predicting Fear of Crime: Results from a Community Survey of a Small City crime problems. American Journal of Criminal Justice. 44, 334–351.
Creswell, J. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. New York: Pearson.
Hinkel, J., & Weisburd, D. (2008). The irony of broken windows policing: A micro-place study of the relationship between disorder focused police crackdowns and fear of crime. Journal of Criminal Justice. 36, 503–512.
Luo, F., Ren, J., & Zhao, J. S. (2016). Location-Based Fear of Crime A Case Study in Houston, Texas. Criminal Justice Review ,41(1), 75-97.
Yuan, Y., & Melde, C. (2015). Neighborhood context, street efficacy, and fear of violent victimization. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice . 15 (2), 1-19.
