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Community policing and fear of crime in Seoul: a test of competing models

Sunghoon Roh (Department of Public Administration, Korea National Police University, Yongin‐Si, South Korea)
Dae‐Hoon Kwak (Department of Criminal Justice, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA)
Eunyoung Kim (Department of Police Administration, Kwandong University, Gangneung‐Si, South Korea)

Policing: An International Journal

ISSN: 1363-951X

Article publication date: 1 March 2013

1190

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the complex constellation of underlying factors between community policing and fear of crime by embracing various exogenous variables identified through accumulated empirical research. Another important purpose of the current study is to examine the association between community policing and fear of crime in the Korean context.

Design/methodology/approach

The data originated from a survey administrated by the Korean Institution of Criminology in the area of Seoul, South Korea, in an attempt to examine citizens’ fear of crime, perceptions of public safety and environment. Using a stratified sampling method, a total of 654 respondents were selected. Structural equation modeling was used to examine direct and indirect relationships among exogenous and endogenous variables and to test the authors’ hypothesized structural model of the citizen's fear of crime.

Findings

The current study found that the four proposed models between community policing and fear of crime were not supported in the Korean context. Neither direct nor indirect relationships between community policing and fear of crime were statistically significant. On the other hand, community policing was found to be significantly and indirectly associated with perceived risk of crime; those who more perceived community policing activities felt a greater risk of crime. A logical explanation for these findings requires understanding of the characteristics of community policing practice and the unique crime environment in South Korea.

Originality/value

This study shows unique characteristics in the community policing‐fear of crime nexus in Korean society in relation to the implementation of community policing, the level of fear of crime and perception of community‐based crime control.

Keywords

Citation

Roh, S., Kwak, D. and Kim, E. (2013), "Community policing and fear of crime in Seoul: a test of competing models", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 36 No. 1, pp. 199-222. https://doi.org/10.1108/13639511311302542

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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