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Territorial functioning and fear of crime: Testing for mediation in structural equation modeling

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Security Journal

Published online on

Abstract

The influence of territorial functioning (TF) in reducing crime and fear has found broad empirical support, but its multivariate predictive relationships have not been uniformly validated to date. This study aims to examine a model that explains the direct and indirect influences of TF, disorder and victimization on fear of crime in a residential neighborhood with a high crime rate. The study used a quantitative-based method using a questionnaire survey and on-site observations. A total of 217 households from a council estate in Sheffield were interviewed for this study using a systematic sampling method. Structural equation modeling analyses indicate that TF has a negative impact on disorder, victimization and perceived risk. In line with the incivilities thesis, the results indicate that disorder positively influences both victimization and fear of crime. Perceived risk has a mediating role in the relationship between TF and fear of crime. This leads to the conclusion that TF can shape fear of crime through perceptions of risk.