Citation

Honda A, Yamanoha T. Crime Prev. Community Safety 2010; 12(2): 77-90.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group -- Palgrave-Macmillan)

DOI

10.1057/cpcs.2010.1

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate Japanese high school and university students' perceived risks and their crime prevention strategies. Gender differences and the effects of their type of residence were also examined. Six types of crime prevention strategy were identified: vigilance, avoiding dangerous areas, risk management, avoiding dangerous routes, self-monitoring and avoiding going out at night. The results of our study indicate that women have greater perceived risks and more awareness of avoidance-related strategies than men. University students reported greater perceived risks than did high school students but were aware of fewer crime prevention strategies. Data on university students showed similar effects of type of residence: residents of single-family dwellings reported greater perceived risks than did those of multiple-family dwellings, although the former type of residence exerts negative impacts on their awareness of precautionary behaviors. These findings suggest that adolescents' housing choices might increase perceived risks, but decrease or restrict their awareness of crime prevention strategies.
Keywords:

adolescents; perceived risks; crime prevention strategies; gender differences; type of residence