Correlates and predictors of fear of crime and victimisation among undergraduate students attending a South African university

Abstract

Victimisation is a crucial aspect in the field of Criminology, and although there are endless studies and much research on the matter, there is very minimal research regarding the specific victimisation of university students. As a result, the study set out to determine the correlates and predictors of fear of crime and victimisation among undergraduate students attending a South African university. In order to identify the predictors and correlates, the study focused on four factors of the student population: gender, academic year, household economic status, and living arrangements. Students' risky behaviours were subsequently investigated, and their fear of crime was measured by feelings of safety and perceptions and fear of crime. Moreover, their experiences of crime were also asked to determine the extent of the phenomenon. The quantitative study was descriptive in nature with an explanatory element. Non-probability sampling was implemented, and data was collected by means of self-administered questionnaires given to undergraduate students attending a South African university. A total of 853 completed questionnaires were returned and thus utilised for the study. Data was subsequently analysed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Chi-square test, and the logistic regression, which provided the data's similarities, relationships, and differences. The study uncovered that the university students did not participate in risky behaviours as often as previously thought. Moreover, most students thought crime to have increased over the previous two years and felt relatively safe during the day; however, feelings of safety considerably shifted during night-time. Gender was found to be a crucial predictor for fear of crime, with females being generally more fearful than males. Furthermore, theft of personal property was the most common crime students had experienced, and a noteworthy predictor of victimisation was the students' household economic status. Those from low income households seemed more prone to crime. South Africa is plagued with crime, and university students are not exempt from it. The study brought to light that South African students may be participating in more avoidance/defensive behaviours than other student populations, yet, they are still experiencing crime. As a result, fear of crime amongst students is evident, and although a few predictors and correlates were identified, more research is necessary to understand all factors that affect student victimisation.