Fear of crime through the eyes of the citizens of Municipality of Krško
Purpose:
This paper explores the frequency and characteristics of fear of crime in the Municipality of Krško – how citizens experience this fear, what influences it, how fear differs by gender, age and type of environment, and to present the usefulness of the research results by placing them in the local context.
Methods:
The methods included reviewing existing studies and literature, and a pilot online survey of citizens. Sampling followed the snowball principle, and apart from descriptive statistics, data analysis also included a t-test for independent samples, ANOVA, and a chi-square test.
Findings:
The analysis of the data reveals a complex picture of the perception of safety and fear of crime in the Municipality of Krško. While there are certain differences between age groups, genders, and types of the environment – women and the elderly express greater levels of fear. Respondents expressed greater levels of concern about vandalism and the perceived likelihood of victimization, with men expressing lower levels of concern than women. Most respondents believe that crime has increased in their environment. To improve safety, they suggest increased police presence, better lighting, and addressing the Roma and immigration issues.
Research Limitations/Implications:
Due to the non-representative sample and online survey, the results cannot be generalized to the entire population of the municipality. Therefore, in the future, it would be useful to conduct a survey with a larger number of participants and a representative sample, while also including and examining other factors related to fear of crime, potentially linked to perceptions of safety in the local community, experiences of victimization, media reporting or the level of trust in the work of the police.
Practical Implications:
Findings provide guidelines for improving the sense of security in the municipality.
Originality/Value:
The contribution focuses on a specific environment, where such research has not yet been conducted. It is intended for local decision-makers, the police, municipal services, and anyone interested in the link between the perception of safety and factors contributing to fear of crime at the regional level.
UDC: 343.9
Keywords: fear of crime, Municipality of Krško, urban area, rural area, Roma