NCJ Number
197236
Journal
Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: 2001 Pages: 33-46
Editor(s)
Rob Mawby
Date Published
2001
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a study of student, faculty, staff, and campus police perceptions as compared to the reality of the incidence of crime at their university campus, and includes a review of campus environmental influences on crime.
Abstract
This study was conducted at a university campus in North Carolina and was based upon the Registrar's Office list of classes for the fall and spring semesters of 1999 to 2000. It explored the perceptions of the primary space users of the campus: 113 faculty and staff, 341 students, and 22 campus police officers on issues of criminal victimization, fear of crime, and perception of crime risk. Key concepts comprising the focus of this study, including fear of crime, perception of crime risk, and environmental conditions are discussed. A review of two models, situational crime prevention and problem-oriented policing, is provided. A discussion of study methodology and operationalization of variables is provided. Environmental conditions on campus were assessed to identify particular areas of concern related to fear of crime risk. The study sought to compare reality of crime incidence as compared to the perception, based on self-reported victimization by the primary place users and police reports. Tables show statistics related to crimes on campus known to police, general impressions of campus, general impressions about crime on campus, specific estimates of crime frequencies on campus, self-reported criminal victimization on campus, fear of crime and perceptions of risk on campus, problematic places and conditions on campus, and other perceptions of crime on campus. This study is reported as setting forth a model for future research in preventing campus crime, as no other study to date has included each of the main groups of primary space users as this study did. In conclusion, it is noted that drug and alcohol use as related to rape on campuses may entail changing attitudes about sexual behaviors, partying, and drug use which tend to occur indoors, rather than alteration of external physical environmental conditions to the immediate campus. It is noted that a new study to assess the degree of alcohol and illicit drug consumption among rape victims and offenders was being conducted at the time of publication of this article.