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Fear of crime in gated communities and apartment buildings: a comparison of housing types and a test of theories

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Abstract

Dramatic increases in crime and fear of crime in Mexico have encouraged interest in research questions about the relationship of fear with new housing developments. We have seen increases in the number of gated communities and apartment buildings in Mexico City as a response to fear of crime. But there are two problems. First, it is not known if these housing options actually help control fear of crime. Second, fear of crime theories are pending further empirical testing worldwide. The end results include general misunderstanding and weak connections between theory and reality. This study shows that neither gated communities nor apartment buildings seem to provide lower levels of fear of crime when home alone. This statement was verified through non-parametric bivariate tests, ordinal logistic, and binary logistic regression analyses. Other variables held constant, fear of crime was unrelated to the type of housing. Instead, fear of crime when home alone was associated with gender, years of schooling, social marginality levels, neighborhood fear of crime levels, and the opinion on the local police.

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Notes

  1. Source Encuesta de Percepción Ciudadana sobre la Seguridad en Mexico, by Consulta Mitofsky, November, 2008.

  2. Sometimes defined as incivility theory (see Bissler 2003) o social disorganization theory (see Haining et al. 2007; Shaw and McKay 1942).

  3. http://www.biiacs.cide.edu.

  4. Ordinal regression computes the Nagelkerke coefficient, which is a pseudo coefficient of determination comparable to the least squares regression coefficient of determination.

  5. This means that the results are a set of parallel lines -one for each category- of the dependent

    variable.

  6. These are: logit, probit, cauchit, complementary log–log, and negative log–log.

  7. That is 6 years of formal education.

  8. In this country population censuses are conducted every 10 years whereas population and housing counts are conducted every five.

  9. The study utilized the 2005 marginality indexes. For more information and databases on marginality indexes visit: http://www.conapo.gob.mx.

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  1. Center for Economic Research and Education (CIDE), Carretera México-Toluca 3655, Col. Lomas de Santa Fe, 01210, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Carlos J. Vilalta

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Vilalta, C.J. Fear of crime in gated communities and apartment buildings: a comparison of housing types and a test of theories. J Hous and the Built Environ 26, 107–121 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-011-9211-3

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