Temporal Invariance in Repeated Cross-Sectional ‘Fear of Crime’ Research

Abstract

‘Fear of crime’ research is gradually outgrowing the tenacious criticism of being caught within a conservative methodological frame, inherent to the era when the research tradition originated. Over time, the idea that ‘fear of crime’ can be measured in a reliable and valid way by using a single indicator has been questioned. However, using more advanced measures confronts the research tradition with ‘new’ issues related to measurement error, and therefore urges methodological novelty and sophistication to a field notoriously starved of both. Previously, we provided evidence that in order for cross-cultural comparisons to be meaningful, the instruments used to measure ‘fear of crime’, need to exhibit adequate cross-cultural equivalence. This contribution argues that comparing ‘fear of crime’ levels across time is bound to this logic as well. Considering the growing attention paid in recent years to crime, insecurity and ‘fear of crime’ within public opinion in Belgium, as in Western Europe and in an international context in general, it is not unlikely that respondents have indeed changed or are changing their understanding of the issue. Using structural equation modelling (LISREL), this issue of potential temporal invariance or item parameter drift in ‘fear of crime’ item sets, will be assessed in two large scale, repeated cross-sectional research projects in Belgium, Le. the Safety Monitor and the APS-survey.