Criminology Research Council grant ; (3/84)
This study investigated the perceptions and experiences of a sample of 103 Melbourne high-rise public housing tenants in relation to matters of crime, fear of crime and security through the administration of a modified victimisation survey questionnaire. Specific issues canvassed included expressed victimisations, precautionary behaviour, knowledge of crime on the estates, fear of crime on the estates, fear associated with particular locations and times on the estates, preferred security arrangements and general views of life on the estates. In particular, changes over time in these perceptions and experiences as a function of the security arrangements and physical renovations were assessed.
Tenants from three metropolitan estates were sampled. On one estate which experienced new security arrangements, the results indicated a reduction in expressed victimisation, a reduction ill levels of precautionary behaviour, a reduction in fear of crime, and an enhancement of positive perceptions of the housing environment. On the second estate, which experienced physical renovations, the results indicated a reduction in expressed victimisations, a reduction in levels of precautionary behaviour, and a reduction in fear of crime. On the last estate, which experienced neither altered security arrangements or physical renovations, the results indicated increased victimisation and an increase in the fear of crime.
The results were discussed in the context of the available literature on crime, the determinants of fear of crime, and environmental crime control strategies. A number of policy implications were proposed, including the potential utility of specific security personnel deployments.