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Perceived risks and crime prevention strategies of Japanese high school and university students

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Crime Prevention and Community Safety Aims and scope

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate Japanese high school and university students’ perceived risks and their crime prevention strategies. Gender differences and the effects of their type of residence were also examined. Six types of crime prevention strategy were identified: vigilance, avoiding dangerous areas, risk management, avoiding dangerous routes, self-monitoring and avoiding going out at night. The results of our study indicate that women have greater perceived risks and more awareness of avoidance-related strategies than men. University students reported greater perceived risks than did high school students but were aware of fewer crime prevention strategies. Data on university students showed similar effects of type of residence: residents of single-family dwellings reported greater perceived risks than did those of multiple-family dwellings, although the former type of residence exerts negative impacts on their awareness of precautionary behaviors. These findings suggest that adolescents’ housing choices might increase perceived risks, but decrease or restrict their awareness of crime prevention strategies.

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Notes

  1. The three items were ‘I try to use a taxi, even in my neighborhood, when I must go out at night or when I come home late’; ‘I am prepared to protect myself against crime: I have learned self-defense or actively lift weights’; and ‘I carry a crime prevention device such as a crime prevention buzzer or pepper spray’.

  2. Dropped items were ‘I try not to go to places or districts with which I am unfamiliar’; ‘I devote attention to crime information in the district or area’; ‘I act cautiously, am aware of my surroundings and am suspicious of cars and people’; ‘I know where my belongings are at all times, and hold my possessions securely while I am out’; ‘I try to be more aware of my surroundings when I am near a downtown area or entertainment and amusement center than when I am in other districts’; ‘I try to wear clothes that allow freedom of movement to guard against crime when I go out’; and ‘I keep myself prepared to contact the police, my family, or a friend quickly by holding a mobile telephone in my hand to guard against crime’.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) No. 20730450 from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The authors thank Ken-ichi Ohbuchi, Takemi Mori and anonymous reviewers for helpful comments.

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Honda, A., Yamanoha, T. Perceived risks and crime prevention strategies of Japanese high school and university students. Crime Prev Community Saf 12, 77–90 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1057/cpcs.2010.1

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