In the present article we will examine whether the fear felt towards crime is related to the perception of financial scarcity when satisfying needs, thus attempting to determine whether such a fear influences considerations of whether the transgressor must serve a prison sentence. In addition, we through a correlational design, we will analyse through a correlational design, how fear of crime and perceived financial scarcity is linked to mood and wellbeing. The results from among a large sample of Spanish participants (1,474) have demonstrated that no relation exists between both concerns (fear of crime and perceived financial scarcity); that a not at all insignificant percentage (1.1%) wants the offender to serve a prison sentence; that fear does not correlate with general wellbeing and that financial scarcity does not provoke significant differences on positive mood. These findings allow us to advance in the study of the issues here analysed and thus propose solutions in order to address their consequences.
En la presente investigación se examina si el miedo que se siente ante el delito guarda relación con la percepción de escasez de recursos económicos que se tiene para sufragar necesidades, tratando de determinar si dicha emoción influye en la consideración de que el transgresor deba cumplir condena de cárcel. Además, a través de un diseño correlacional se analiza cómo se vincula el miedo al delito y la percepción de escasez de recursos con el estado de ánimo y el bienestar. Los resultados en una amplia muestra de participantes españoles (1,474) han constatado que no existe relación entre ambas preocupaciones (miedo al delito y percepción de recursos económicos escasos), que un porcentaje no significativo (1.1%)desea que el infractor cumpla pena de prisión, que sentir miedo no correlaciona con el bienestar general y que la escasez de recursos no muestra diferencias significativas en el estado de ánimo positivo. Estos hallazgos nos permiten avanzar en el estudio de las problemáticas analizadas y proponer soluciones para amortiguar sus consecuencias.
We can all be victims of a crime. However, fear of crime and the degree to which we perceive insecurity do not appear to be directly related to the probabilities of suffering crime. This is illustrated by the compilation undertaken by
The studies carried out in the city of Porto, Portugal (see
In other research in Spain, after comparing crime density rate maps with those of feelings of insecurity it was found that the objective and subjective security have no clear and positive relationship. In addition, the levels of perceived insecurity in Barcelona neighborhoods are influenced by satisfaction with police services, social disorder, ethnic heterogeneity, and socio-economic status (
In line with what has been discussed, the European Social Survey, from 2002 until 2016, in which eastern, central, and western European countries were compared, Spain is among the countries with higher levels of perceived insecurity (
According to the measures of Spain’s Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (
What do we understand by fear of crime? A largely agreed definition is that by
These responses in the form of a sensation of nervousness, insecurity , and worry provoked by either abstract or particular crimes can be expressed emotionally, cognitively, and/or behaviourally, with either a low or high intensity or frequency. These reactions can be projected towards oneself, towards close people and even towards a surrounding or global community.
Citizens tend to link crime and financial problems together, thus producing a series of reactions that demand solutions (
In addition, fear of crime can depend on other sociodemographic variables, such as residing in areas experiencing social degradation, which entails a stronger perception of surrounding insecurity as well as lower levels of wellbeing. According to
Fear of crime brings people to the limit of their abilities to perceive the reality in which they live. They develop a complex emotional process which translates into verbalisations, actions or omissions, either voluntarily or involuntarily, regarding their level of verification of crime and their fear of it, even though the perceived vulnerability before a criminal act does not necessarily correspond with the real risk of suffering it.
Regarding the possible solutions to the problem, once the crime has been committed, it is important to know whether the population considers the current punitive penal system adequate or not, since there is a general dissatisfaction in victims, who perceive a series of deficiencies in traditional justice, which is not restorative, attentive or caring for their needs, while offenders consider that prison teaches them nothing, resulting in a useless sentence which is sterile in its re-socialising goals, and society sees justice as an untrustworthy enemy, since it does not provide an adequate response to crime, only managing, if at all, to offer a control system and a false perception of justice and security (
Moreover, this study will address the influence that fear of crime may have over mood and wellbeing, given that some studies demonstrate that this emotion does not necessarily diminish wellbeing in people. Both
Recent research conducted in Jalisco (Mexico) explored the relationship between direct, indirect, and vicarious victimization and fear of crime on subjective wellbeing, emotional climate, and social wellbeing. The results revealed that women and people who have been victims are more afraid of crime and that victimization and fear of crime are negatively related to subjective wellbeing through the negative emotional climate. Therefore, it is the emotional climate that has an important mediating effect, since people may be afraid of crime without it directly affecting their subjective or social wellbeing, but if the fear of crime is associated with an emotional climate in which individuals perceive a negative or hostile social environment, it is then that their social wellbeing will be affected (
In addition,
Although it is not possible to specify how an individual would respond to the possibility of being a victim of a specific crime, it is clear that the individual will generate extreme responses according to their physical capabilities and their perception and comprehension of their individual and social reality, and will interpret this situation from a feeling of insecurity and thus of fear (
Generally, security and trust are feelings that people experience when they have, or feel they have, enough power and financial resources to face a given situation. On the contrary, people feel fear or concerns when they face threatening or dangerous situations with an insufficient amount of resources.
With regards to a lack of resources and affect, previous studies have explained that subjective wellbeing is not comparable to levels of wealth, since different levels of happiness can be achieved within a same level of financial resources (
Unfortunately, many people live in societies that generate economic inequalities and scarcity of resources and where events that produce reactions of fear, frustration, mistrust, and insecurity take place. Life among these spirals of adversity is indeed complicated and causes much suffering. The question that arises is how people in these conditions maintain their mood.
Based on existing literature, the first objective of this study is to analyse the relation between fear of crime and the perception of financial resources with wellbeing and mood. Furthermore, it will explore whether fear of crime is stronger in the group with lower financial resources to satisfy their needs.
The second objective attempts to study whether fear of crime can determine support for prison sentences, taking into account that this forces the offender to remain for a period of the sentence within the prison under established regimes of internment.
We will also explore if individuals think, after having committed a serious crime (violent robbery), if it is necessary for the offender to go to prison (for 2 to 5 years for the crime here studied, according to the law), since the loss of freedom is considered by many as “disciplining” those who are “dangerous” individuals, who will spend a good time behind bars, thus preventing them from reincurring in criminal behaviour (
A sample of 1,474 participants from across Spain have participated in this study, with an age range between 18 and 66 (
As can be observed, the majority of participants are both studying and working, and have centre-left political tendencies. The sample also has a higher percentage of women than men.
With regards to the procedure undertaken in collecting the data, Social Psychology students were asked to collaborate in the activity in exchange for academic credits. In the instructions it was made clear that they should answer themselves and ask for the help of another person of the opposite gender. In addition, they were instructed to communicate to the invited person that their participation was voluntary, and they could step back whenever they wished to. This information also appeared at the beginning of the questionnaire, in the informed consent section, which they had to sign if interested in participating. Data collection took place online, through the Qualtrics program, for which the student had to send a link to the invited person for the completion of the questionnaire.
To evaluate this variable, participants were presented with a text describing a violent robbery towards a friend, with physical and psychological consequences for the victim (adapted from
This indicator was taken from
The participants were asked about the possibility of offenders serving their sentence in prison, after being declared guilty: After the violent robbery crime described, do you consider that the offender must serve their sentence in prison?. As many as 98.9% (1.458) answered No against 1.1% (
This variable was measured with the abbreviated scale of PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule by
In order to measure general wellbeing the Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI;
A descriptive-correlational study was undertaken. A non-probabilistic intentional sample strategy was adopted.
The statistical analysis of reliability, descriptive and of correlations is presented, were analysed through SPSS 25. We used Spearman’s correlation (rho) for categorical variable (see Perception of financial resources). In addition, the size of the effect (partial eta squared) was calculated for comparison of means between groups.
In order to check whether gender, age, professional situation, and political ideology influenced the variables here studied variance analyses (ANOVA) were undertaken. The results showed that fear and mood did have statistically significant differences (
In
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The perception of financial resources to satisfy needs is associated positively with negative affect, while the negative relations are to be found regarding the affect balance and general wellbeing.
However, the relation between fear of crime and the perception of financial resources is not significant. The significant relations take place when the affect is of a different nature (positive vs. negative) from wellbeing.
Finally, it is important to consider how the affect balance is a variable significantly associated with all the variables: negatively with fear of crime, financial resources, and negative mood; and, as expected, positively with general wellbeing and positive mood.
The mean and standard errors for the groups with regards to fear of crime (low vs. high) are presented in
As can be observed in
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*
As a whole, this comparison of means shows a specific profile for those who have a perception of fewer financial resources to cover their needs. These are characterised by a greater negative mood, worse affect balance , and lower general wellbeing.
However, there are no statistically significant differences that depend on belonging to one group or another with regards to feeling more fear of crime; and we can see that having more or less financial resources also does not have an effect on positive moods.
Finally, comparisons were made to determine whether individuals that have considered that the only solution for the reparation of the crime is prison are differentiated in some of the variables studied here from those who had answered no to the question. The only significant result was that fear of crime is stronger for those who expect offenders serve their sentence in prison
The general objective of this study has been to analyse how fear of crime is related to financial scarcity, prison sentence, and wellbeing, constituting an empirical and exploratory work of innovative characteristics, since both precedents and consequences of fear of crime are addressed. The analysis of correlations allows to disengage of two issues that are generally associated: fear of crime does not have as a cause the perception of having more or fewer financial resources to cover needs.
Fear and fewer financial resources are associated, similarly, with a negative mood and a worse affect balance. In line with previous research (see
A better affect balance and general wellbeing can be found among those who feel less fear of crime. These two indicators will diminish among those who perceive that they do not have enough financial resources to cover their needs, which evidently affects their quality of life. Previous studies have empathised the emotional aspects of insecurity as factors that impact on wellbeing and quality of life (
In addition, we have been able to demonstrate that a low percentage of participants perceive themselves as not having enough financial resources, even though the ample majority affirm having enough to cover their needs. Perceived scarcity influences general wellbeing. These findings are based in a sample of voluntary participants in which a majority are not in a situation of poverty, which is why we would recommend replicating this study among the larger population.
As has been shown, only a non-representative percentage of those surveyed believes that offenders must serve their sentence in prison. A possible explanation could be found in blaming the victims. As described in the Appendix, the victims texted with the cell-phone as they walked, and consequently they were distracted from the environment. However, this invites further thoughts on alternative paths for reparation, such as restorative justice, since some form of solution to this situation is needed. Following
The result in connection with the serving of sentences in prison contrasts with the research undertaken by
Our findings allow for the evaluation of the repercussions of fear of crime through mood and wellbeing, bringing new opportunities for the understanding of emotional and behavioural responses when facing perceived insecurity. Other studies suggest that fear of crime is related to the hedonic wellbeing experienced, as well as to corruption and social problems (see
Despite these contributions, our study is not free of limitations, since we use data collected in a given moment and based only on a violent robbery crime. To establish an understanding of fear of crime across time it would be necessary to undertake longitudinal research in which participants could consider several events that create insecurity and that have different juridical consequences according to the law. This methodology could situate precedents and consequences, as well as address the type of sentences ranging from the lowest with no imprisonment to short-term imprisonment and ending in revisable life imprisonment.
To conclude, this study evidences that fear of crime is relatively independent of the perception of financial resources, which is a phenomenon that does have an effect on affects and wellbeing. Further research should be conducted in different cultural contexts in which other socio-financial and criminal realities take place, in order to corroborate these results in a sample representing different political ideologies and job statuses. We however must not forget that wellbeing is a complex concept that does not only encompass the existence of positive and negative sentiments, but also involves the ascription of meaning to life after suffering negative and traumatic events, such as violent crime.
Cite this article as: Arjona, B., Silván-Ferrero, P., Arias, A. V., Nouvilas-Pallejá, E., Lozano, F., & Fernández, I. (2022). Effects of fear of crime and financial scarcity on wellbeing and prison sentences.
A friend of yours tells you that they have been a victim of a crime. Your friend recounts what happened while they texted as they walked. They tell you that suddenly they were pushed, fell to the ground and someone leaped on their cell-phone and tried to snatch it. Your friend’s personal and professional relationships depended on that smartphone, which is why it could not be stolen. They tried to hang on to it. A scuffle ensued. The offender hit your friend, through them to the floor, kicked them and your friend could not take it anymore and let go of the cell-phone. The offender ran away with the cell-phone. Your friend remained on the floor, bleeding and terrified. Although the serious physical injuries have been cured, they are still deeply terrified.