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British Journal of Criminology Advance Access published online on August 19, 2009
British Journal of Criminology, doi:10.1093/bjc/azp059
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The British Journal of Criminology 0:azp059 (2009)
© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (ISTD). All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Functional Fear and Public Insecurities about Crime

Jonathan Jackson* and Emily Gray*

* Dr Jonathan Jackson, Methodology Institute, LSE, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, UK; j.p.jackson{at}lse.ac.uk. Emily Gray, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK; e.v.gray{at}ilpj.keele.ac.uk


  Abstract

Fear of crime is widely seen as an unqualified social ill, yet might some level of emotional response comprise a natural defence against crime? Our methodology differentiates between a dysfunctional worry that erodes quality of life and a functional worry that motivates vigilance and routine precaution. A London-based survey shows that one-quarter of those individuals who said they were worried about crime also viewed their worry as something akin to a problem-solving activity: they took precautions; these precautions that made them feel safer; and neither the precautions nor the worries reduced the quality of their lives. Fear of crime can therefore be helpful as well as harmful: some people are both able and willing to convert their concerns into constructive action.

Key Words: fear of crime • emotion • resilience • neighbourhood disorder


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