Fear of crime among inhabitants of Skopje

Oliver Bačanović (Author), Nataša Jovanova (Author)

Abstract

Purpose: The article gives basic notes about fear of crime as an important issue in contemporary criminology, describes certain characteristics of fear of crime in Skopje, and compares socio-demographic variables and the socio-psychological model of fear of crime proposed by Van der Wurff, Van Staalduinen and Stringer (1989). Design/Methods/Approach: The study employed a multi-stage random probability sampling method for a survey among citizens of urban areas of the capital of the Republic of Macedonia (Skopje) using face-to- face interviews conducted in March, 2009. Findings: The results showed that the respondents felt relatively safe in their neighbourhood; however, 67% of them pointed out that there were certain parts in the city where they didn’t want to go.The results show that greater fear of crime occurs among women, the elderly, those who think that woods are unsafe, those who fear they are not capable of chasing potential assailants, and those who sometimes imagine that someone would obstruct their path and when they go out make sure to take a safe route. Comparing the results of the regression analysis, the socio-psychological model does not explain fear of crime among respondents (R-Square, adj- 0.25) more than socio-demographic model. This indicates that further research should employ new psychological variables for better operationalization of existing models. Research Limitations/Implications: The results refer only to urban areas of Skopje. Improvements should be made to the questions used in the questionnaire paying special attention to the operationalization of the impact of the media on fear of crime. Originality/Value: The article will contribute to raising the importance of the issue of fear of crime as a significant part of criminal policy especially in the Republic of Macedonia.

Keywords

fear of crime;survey;Skopje;Macedonia;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2012
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UM FVV - Faculty of Criminal Justice
UDC:	343.9(497.7)
COBISS:	2503402
ISSN:	1580-0253
Parent publication:	Varstvoslovje
Views:	594
Downloads:	34
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary title:	Strah pred kriminaliteto med prebivalci Skopja
Secondary abstract:	Namen prispevka: Članek podaja osnovne podatke o strahu pred kriminaliteto kot pomembnem vidiku sodobne kriminologije, opisuje določene značilnosti strahu pred kriminaliteto v Skopju in primerja spremenljivke sociodemografskega in socialnopsihološkega modela strahu pred kriminaliteto po Van der Wurffu, Van Staalduinenu in Stringerju (1989). Oblike/metode/pristop: Raziskava je temeljila na večstopenjskem slučajnostnem vzorčenju gospodinjstev med prebivalci mestnih območij glavnega mesta Makedonije. V Skopju so za raziskavo v marcu 2009 raziskovalci uporabili neposredni strukturirani intervju. Ugotovitve: Rezultati so pokazali, da se anketiranci v soseski počutijo relativno varne, kljub temu pa jih je 67 % navedlo, da obstajajo določeni deli mesta, kamor niso želeli iti. Rezultati kažejo, da se večji del strahu pred kriminaliteto pojavlja pri starejših ženskah, tistih, ki menijo, da so gozdovi nevarni, tistih, ki se bojijo, da ne morajo zasledovati potencialnega napadalca in pri tistih, ki si včasih predstavljajo, da jih bo nekdo oviral na njihovi poti in zato raje izberejo varnejšo. Če primerjamo rezultate regresijske analize, socialnopsihološki model ne pojasni strahu pred kriminaliteto med anketiranci (R-kvadrat 0.25) bistveno bolj kot sociodemografski model. To kaže, da je potrebno pri nadaljnjih raziskavah uporabljati nove psihološke spremenljivke za boljšo operacionalizacijo obstoječih modelov. Omejitve raziskave: Rezultati se nanašajo le na mestne dele Skopja. Izboljšave je potrebno narediti pri vprašanjih, uporabljenih v vprašalniku, s posebnim poudarkom na operacionalizaciji vpliva medijev na strah pred kriminaliteto. Izvirnost: Članek bo prispeval k večanju pomena vprašanja strahu pred kriminaliteto kot pomembnega dela kriminalitetne politike, še posebno v Republiki Makedoniji.
Secondary keywords:	kriminaliteta;strah pred kriminaliteto;ankete;Skopje;Makedonija;
URN:	URN:SI:UM:
Type (COBISS):	Scientific work
Pages:	str. 478-500
Volume:	ǂLetn. ǂ14
Issue:	ǂšt. ǂ4
Chronology:	2012
Keywords (UDC):	social sciences;družbene vede;law;jurisprudence;pravo;pravoznanstvo;criminal law;penal offences;kazensko pravo;kazniva dejanja;criminology;criminal sciences;criminalistics;
ID:	1437231