The role of autonomous mobility in public space on fear of crime among adolescents

Despite their pivotal role in public discourse and research on fear of crime, knowledge on fear of crime among young people remains limited, as they are mostly seen as (primary) causes of fear. In this study, the impact of the frequency of autonomous presence (thus without formal adult supervision) in public space on fear of crime in a representative sample of 14- to 19-year-old Flemish (Belgian) adolescents is investigated. In contrast with traditional research, and using Goffman's concept of novelty' in the explanation of fear arousal, we interpret differences in routine behaviours as a cause, and not merely as a consequence of fear of crime, as in most traditional research. Both regression analysis and structural equation modelling are used to determine the effect of autonomous presence on fear of crime and the factors which influence the extent of autonomous presence in public space. More specifically, the potential impact of neighbourhood, parental and peer related variables are studied. The results suggest that a more frequent presence in public space is related to a lower fear of crime and that several variables not only influence fear of crime directly, but equally indirectly, through their impact on the extent of autonomous presence in public space.