Deck 13: Fear of Criminal Victimization

Question 1

Fear of criminal victimization was first recognized as a serious social problem and the subject of legitimate study in the _____________.

A) 1840s.
B) 1960s.
C) 1990s.
D) 1880s.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Contrary to previous assumptions, the early fear-of-crime researchers learned that fear of criminal victimization is not solely a reaction to ____________.

A) Perceived risk of victimization.
B) Motivated offenders.
C) Having been victimized.
D) Actual risk of victimization.
E) None of the above.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

________ causes of fear of crime include experiencing a victimization and fearing another will happen in the future; ________ causes include exposure to crime through secondary victimization.

A) Real; imaginary.
B) External; internal.
C) Perceived; actual.
D) Direct; indirect.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Individuals who perceive themselves to be likely crime victims are typically more fearful of crime.

Question 5

Actual victimization risk is defined as _____________.

A) An individual's objective likelihood of becoming a crime victim.
B) A person's perceived risk of experiencing criminal victimization.
C) The degree of fear provoked by social and physical incivilities.
D) The combination of direct and indirect causes of fear of crime.
E) A and C
F) B and D

Question 6

Early fear-of-crime surveys were critiqued for not specifically mentioning the word _________ when asking about one's level of fear of crime.

A) Neighborhood.
B) Fear.
C) Crime.
D) Offending.
E) Emotion.

Question 7

Unlike ________ measures of fear of crime, __________ measures of fear of crime reflect a general fear of victimization and do not specify a particular type of crime.

A) Concrete; formless.
B) Actual; perceived.
C) Later; early.
D) Covert; latent.

Question 8

Victimization rates in the United States have mostly declined since the 1990s; fear of crime has declined as well.

Question 9

Which of the following is not an example of the paradox of fear?

A) Women have lower victimization levels than men, but higher levels of fear of crime.
B) The elderly have higher levels of fear of crime than the young, but lower victimization levels.
C) Women have higher levels of perceived risk of victimization than men, but lower victimization rates.
D) Men have higher levels of fear of crime then the elderly, but lower victimization levels.
E) All of the above are examples of the paradox of fear.

Question 10

According to the shadow of sexual assault hypothesis, fear of crime in females is driven by fear of sexual assault victimization for the following reason(s).

A) Sexual victimization overwhelmingly is committed against females.
B) Direct-contact crimes (e.g., robbery) can escalate into sexual assault.
C) Men are never victims of sexual assault and do not fear it.
D) Non-contact crimes (e.g., mail fraud) can escalate into sexual assault.
E) A and B
F) C and D

Question 11

According to Ferraro's (1996) study, women's fear of being sexually assaulted outweighs their fear of _______.

A) Identity theft.
B) Murder.
C) Motor vehicle theft.
D) Simple assault.

Question 12

Estimates of fear across age groups depend on the _____________.

A) Socioeconomic status of the sample.
B) Age of the survey respondent.
C) Measure of fear being utilized.
D) Education level of the respondent.
E) None of the above.

Question 13

Race may not be a determinant of fear; instead, race may be related to other characteristics that better explain fear of victimization.

Question 14

Research suggests that as one's income increases, fear of victimization generally deceases. A proposed reason is that _____________.

A) Those with higher incomes are educated not to fear victimization.
B) Criminal offenders are not motivated to victimize those with higher incomes.
C) People with lower incomes have greater fear of everything in life, including crime.
D) Those with higher incomes can afford to protect themselves and their property.
E) All of the above are proposed reasons.

Question 15

According to the vulnerability perspective, fear of crime is not a consequence of _____________.

A) An individual's lifestyles and routine activities.
B) One's personal characteristics (e.g., sex, age).
C) A person's previous experiences with criminal victimization.
D) An individual's contact with criminal offenders.

Question 16

Broken windows theory proposes two types of incivilities that increase levels of fear of crime: (1) _________ and (2) ________.

A) Civil; personal.
B) Physical; social.
C) Mental; psychological.
D) Longitudinal; cross-sectional.
E) None of the above.

Question 17

According to the social integration hypothesis, communities that are socially cohesive will have less fear of victimization among residents because they have _____________.

A) A population that includes more youth and men.
B) More high-income residents who can afford to buy burglary alarms.
C) A high sense of personal and collective security.
D) Increased guardianship and reduced property taxes.
E) Fewer residents with low self-control and anomie.

Question 18

The multilevel perspective presumes that a complete understanding of fear requires a consideration of both __________ vulnerability and ________ disorder and social integration.

A) Individual-level; macrolevel.
B) Personal; social.
C) Increased; civil.
D) Long-term; heightened.

Question 19

Which of the following is not a specific category of site features that gives rise to hot spots?

A) Escape.
B) Prospect.
C) Proximity to suitable targets.
D) Refuge.
E) None of the above.

Question 20

According to hot spots of fear research, low prospect, high refuge, and low escape will lead to low levels of fear and high safety.

Question 21

Explain the differences between the concepts of perceived risk of victimization and fear of victimization, and then explain how these concepts are related to each other.

Question 22

Define "fear of victimization." Describe five methodological challenges to measuring fear of victimization and how each one affects obtaining a valid and/or reliable estimate of fear of victimization.

Question 23

Describe two theories that explain why individuals are fearful of being victimized. Explain what is missing from each of these theories in terms of why some individuals are fearful of being victimized, whereas others are not.

Question 24

Explain the concepts of avoidance and protective behaviors. Next, discuss how these behaviors fit within the overall threat of victimization concept.

Question 25

Explain the difference between a person's perceived risk of victimization and his or her actual risk of victimization.

Question 26

State and describe three problems with the measurement of fear of victimization that recent victimologists have attempted to overcome.

Question 27

Define the "paradox of fear" and provide at least three examples to illustrate this concept.

Question 28

Define the "shadow of sexual assault hypothesis" and explain how it contributes to the paradox of fear.