Crime, fear and unsafety perceptions

Abstract

The present paper draws from three researches on victimization carried out in Marília / SP between 2001-2008 aiming to investigate the dynamics of crime from the point of view of the real victim (objective), as well as to understand the population’s (victim or not) feelings of fear from a “potential” risk. As for the first case – the real victim – the findings can be an auxiliary tool for the development of more effective prevention programs since they also cover underreported crimes. In general, the results may contribute to an understanding of some aspects of crime dynamics, the relationship between the police and the community, fear perception and (un)safety sensations.