Fear of crime and vulnerability: Using a national sample of Americans to examine two competing paradigms

A prominent explanation of why certain groups of people fear crime more than others focuses on physical and social vulnerability. Some researchers have argued that physical vulnerability characteristics (e.g., gender, age, health) are more important in determining one's fear of crime while others have argued that social vulnerability characteristics (e.g., race and socioeconomic status) are more important. We test the independence of the physical and social vulnerability characteristics through a nationally representative sample of Americans. Using a multilevel path modeling approach, we examine whether the physical or the social vulnerability explanation is more powerful in its explanation, or whether a combination of both vulnerabilities explains fear of crime. Results suggest that the two explanations are interdependent to some degree; with the direct effects of social vulnerability being most tied to physical indicators of vulnerability through indirect effects. To a lesser degree, the direct effects of physical vulnerability are also tied to fear of crime indirectly through indicators of social vulnerability. The implications of these results are discussed. ► Predicts fear of crime using two competing theoretical hypotheses (social and physical vulnerability). ► Uses a national survey linked to census tract and county level data. ► Variations that can be accounted for by physical vulnerabilities are much less tied to social vulnerabilities. ► Effects of social vulnerabilities are indirectly related to fear through physical vulnerability characteristics.