The inability of the police and the criminal justice system to contain crime at
low levels has led people to use personal protective measures to reduce
victimization risks. Recent studies on fear of crime indicate that fear for
others' safety is more prevalent than fear for oneself. Using a representative
sample drawn from the third largest city in Israel, this study investigates the
hypothesis that fear for others more than fear for one's own safety may elicit
the use of precautionary measures. The findings support the hypothesis only for
personal protective behaviour. The implications of the findings are
discussed.
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