Experience and Expression: Conversations about Crime, Place and Community

Abstract

This Working Paper continues our investigation of the fear of crime. Initial findings of our quantitative study were presented in Working Papers 1, 3 and 4. Working Paper 2 explored the origins of the fear of crime; Working Paper 5 reviewed the literature. This Working Paper begins our in-depth exploration of our theoretical model using qualitative data. This contribution uses in-depth qualitative interviews to explore the emotional reactions, cognitions and connections people make when talking about crime, their environment and community. This study attempts to detail what fear of crime actually means to people in the context of their everyday lives, their community and their locale. Exploring and presenting participants' in-depth discussion provides a 'thick' layer of analysis and uncovers further unexpected avenues for consideration. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, this study not only attends to the kind of interpretative analysis of how people respond and relate to crime, but seeks to contribute to the wider intellectual terrain.