This paper investigates whether and why the poor are more afraid of crime than are the non-poor in Britain and Sweden. The purpose is to describe and interpret fear of crime as a consequence of poverty, emphasizing contextual and institutional differences. The results show that the poor are more afraid of crime than are the non-poor in both countries. In Britain, the poor are more afraid than are the non-poor as a consequence of their vulnerability in the labour market. In Sweden, no explanation could be found as to why the poor are more afraid. Thus far, it seems that it is the very situation of poverty that is related to fear of crime in Sweden. Furthermore, the results show that in Sweden fear of crime is generally more related to experience of crime, while in Britain fear of crime is generally more related to vulnerability in the labour market.
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