도시지역과 읍·면지역 간 범죄에 대한 두려움의 수준과 영향요인의 차이

The Difference of the Level and the Factors of Fear of Crime between Urban and Rural Residents

Our rural communities have suffered from social disorganization due to a rapid decrease of young population and a lack of proper development Research in criminal justice has also ignored rural problems focusing on urban issues To fill this void, this study compared the level and the factors of fear of crime across big city, midsize city, and rural communities using the survey data gathered from 2,056 residents throughout the country in South Korea The results showed that, contrary to the expectation, residents in rural communities expressed higher levels of fear of crime than their counterparts in midsize and big cities There were also differences in the factors of fear of crime between rural and urban communities For example, elderly residents in rural communities expressed higher fear of crime that their counterparts in urban cities As well, confidence in police was helpful in reducing fear of crime among residents in rural communities, which was not the case in urban cities These results were explained based on the current gap in social development as well as the cultural differences between rural and urban communities The results were also discussed in light of previous research and policy implications were suggested to develop strategies to improve quality of life especially in rural communities