Fear of Crime among the Elderly: A Social Capital Perspective

This paper examines the relationships between social components of the neighbourhood, fear of crime and the elderly. While environmental literature dealing with the influence of physical and structural components of the surroundings on fear of crime has been consulted, we see that elements of social capital are less closely examined. Using data generated from a survey of 38810 elderly (aged 60+) living in 80 Flemish (Belgian) communes we find support for linkages between particular forms of social capital in the neighbourhood and fear of crime. Of particular interest, the findings show a direct effect between quantity/quality/satisfaction of the local social network, home ownership, participation in local organizations, and fear of crime. Satisfaction with the neighbourhood and neighbourhood involvement scale down fear of crime the most. We conclude with the proposition that social components of the living environment, defined in terms of social bonds and social capital, are important key-factors in explaining fear of crime of elderly people.