Neighbourhood Watch: STN 1 South YarraRegion 1 Division 2 Stonnington, Victoria, Australia.
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Neighbourhood Watch: STN 1 South Yarra
Region 1 Division 2
Stonnington, Victoria, Australia.
You are here: Home>Newsletters>March 2002
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March, 2002 Crime and the fear of crime - A complex interplay of many factors Statements about fear of crime often fail to distinguish between perception of general risk, fear of personal victimisation, concern about crime as a public policy issue, and anxiety about life in general. Fear of crime is complex, in that some people may be afraid of particular types of crime, but not of other kinds of offences. Moreover, some individuals may be fearful of crime in the home, but not in public. Factors found by research to be associated with fear of crime and concerns about safety, in Australia and elsewhere include: Gender - One of the factors most consistently and strongly associated with fear of crime is gender. Almost everywhere, females in general tend to report greater levels of fear, males tend to be at greater risk of victimisation. Age - Older Victorians tend to be significantly more fearful of crime in their own homes than are younger people. However, the relationship between age and fear is complex. One recent study found that younger people are more fearful of violence in general than are the elderly, presumably because their lifestyle places them at relatively greater risk. Victorians with higher levels of education and income tend to be less fearful than people with less educational achievement and lower income levels. Previous experience as a crime victim - This is often associated with fear of crime. The 1989 International Crime Victims Survey found that victims in Australia and most other places surveyed reported a greater tendency to avoid certain places after nightfall than non-victims, and that respondents who had experienced multiple victimisations tended to express "stronger feelings of unsafeness". Readers of tabloid newspapers which have more sensational crime coverage reported higher levels of fear than readers of broadsheeet newspapers. Lack of neighbourhood cohesion, as represented by the feeling that neighbours tend not to help each other, is an important factor associated with fear of crime. The presence of sociable neighbours can help reduce fear. Persons living outside metropolitan areas tend to report less fear of crime than do city dwellers. Other factors related to fear of crime may be collectively described as ‘incivilities'. These characteristics, individually but especially in combination, seem to suggest that the neighbourhood in question be "out of control". The messages conveyed by these signs of disorder induce fear of crime in some, but can be an invitation to crime by others. The design of public places can contribute to feelings of security or fear. Fear of crime has also been found to be high in neighbourhoods undergoing change. Communities with rapidly changing populations and related economic changes experience heightened fear of crime, even where there may be no apparent increase in criminal activity. - Crime Prevention Victoria Staying Ahead The RACV program, Years Ahead: Road Safety for Seniors, is a free one -hour discussion based presentation for groups of older people. Years Ahead was developed to assist older road users, to reduce their risk of being involved in a crash. Years Ahead can help older people to be safer on the road through: - Increased awareness of road safety issues: - Provision of defensive driving and road safety tips for drivers, passengers and pedestrians: - Emphasis on the importance of being fit to drive: and - Encouraging drivers to assess their own ability to drive. Years Ahead is available throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria, with more than 30,000 older people attending sessions over the past four years. To book a Years Ahead session for your group or club, call 9790 2915. - Royal Auto Residents respond Many thanks to Jonathan, Helen and Mandy for responding to last month's appeal for new Neighbourhood Watch volunteers. I am sure there are many other people who thought about helping but just didn't get around to phoning. Please, join these residents who want Neighbourhood Watch to continue and call me, Peter, on 9827 6931. Workplace Fitness Maintaining fitness is very much a part of todays lifestyle. Here is a guide to calorie-burning activities you can perform at work to keep you in peak condition. Activity Beating around the bush Jumping to conclusions Passing the buck Throwing your weight around Dragging your heels Pushing your luck Making mountains out of molehills Bending over backwards Jumping on the bandwagon Running around in circles Climbing the ladder of success Putting your foot in your mouth Picking up the pieces Calling it quits Shopping Online Armed with just a credit card and an Internet connection, it's quick and easy to conduct all kinds of transactions from the comfort of your own home. Before you shop online it pays to take a few basic precautions to protect your credit card and your privacy. Credit card safety The risks of using a credit card online are similar to those you face in the "real world". • Only use your own credit card • Contact your bank and ask them about their policy regarding Internet shopping online fraud. • Consider getting a separate low-limit credit card just for Internet transactions. • Be aware that debit cards are not covered by the same protection as a credit card. • When you give out credit card details, there is never any reason to give out your bank account number as well. Know the business The more you know about a shop or a service, the better protected you will be against problems such as fraud, misrepresentation or just poor service. • Shop with the names you know. • Make sure the vendor provides a street address, business registration details (such as an ACN number in Australia) and contact details. • Make sure the business has a privacy policy, and read it. Don't risk parting with your details unless you know exactly what a business intends to do with them. • Read the security policy on the site. Know the whole deal Before you shop online, you need to think about what will happen after you click the "Buy" button. • Check delivery details - both timing and costs. • Find out whether the company offers a warranty on the goods you buy. • Are the goods insured against damage as part of the delivery deal? • Check for a returns policy - can you send back the goods if they are unsatisfactory? • Never agree to open ended-charges against damage as part of the delivery deal. • Never agree to open ended-charges against your credit card. Confirm the exact amount you have to pay, and pay it once. Use secure technology A good online business will explain to you what measures they use in order to make your transaction secure. • Make sure the site uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, which is the industry standard for secure e-shopping. • Look for an unbroken lock or key symbol. This means any private information you send over the Internet will be encrypted or scrambled. Maintain your privacy It's important to know what the company intends to do with your personal details. A reputable business will outline their privacy policy on the site.: • Don't let anyone else use your name or credit card for online transactions. • Only enter your personal details on a web page that offers the secure technology described above. • Don't store your password or banking details in your email program or on your PC. • Log out of a site after you use "passworded" services such as e-banking. • Choose passwords that feature a combination of numbers, symbols and letters. • Don't use the same password for all your online activities. Do the paper work Print out copies of order forms, receipts or any correspondence an e-tailer sends you, just in case you need to refer to it later. More information For more advice call the Consumer & Business Affairs Victoria Helpline on 9627 6111 or freecall on 1800 634 389, or visit our website on www.consumer.vic.gov.au. Next Meeting
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Last modified 7 September 2003.