Citation

May DC, Rader NE, Goodrum S. Crim. Justice Rev. 2010; 35(2): 159-182.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Georgia State University Public and Urban Affairs, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0734016809349166

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Rader has called for a change in how researchers study fear of crime, suggesting that fear of crime, perceptions of risk, and experiences with victimization are interrelated dimensions of the larger "threat of victimization" concept. In this study, the authors examine how each independent dimension affects additional theoretical dimensions of the "threat of victimization" and how these relationships vary by gender. Using data from residents of Kentucky, the authors estimate a series of multivariate linear and logistic regression models. The findings presented here suggest that gender differences do exist in the components of the threat of victimization and that many of the relationships in the Rader model are multifaceted, including the relationship between perceived risk, fear of crime, and avoidance and defensive behaviors. Implications of these findings for future research regarding predictors of the threat of victimization are discussed.