Perceived crime, fear of crime, and walking alone at night

This study examined longitudinal patterns in public opinion about crime, fear of crime, and walking alone at night. Data sets from the Winnipeg Area Study of 4050 randomly selected adults who were interviewed in their homes were used. The data reflect high concern by respondents for increasing crime rates. Analysis suggests that perceived crime in the city and in Canada were not associated with fear of crime and walking alone at night; perceived crime in respondents' neighborhoods showed a weak association. Implications for measures of perceived crime are discussed.