Doctoral Dissertation Research: Explaining the Dynamics of Fear of Crime

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Although social scientists have often studied fear of crime, they know little about the underlying character and dynamics of that fear, and how it affects the social life of urban communities. This project therefore examines how actors socially construct fear of crime as a means of understanding places, events, relationships, and groups in society. In turn, it examines how people experience crime and cope with its risks. The data on these topics come from direct observation of and face-to-face interviews with residents of two neighborhoods (the Lower East Side and Flatbush/Midwood areas of New York City). The detailed case study of these two areas and their inhabitants not only offers information on the sources of fear of crime, but also has implications for the vitality, safety, and future of urban neighborhoods.