3/3/2008
Kevin Drakulich, Department of Sociology, University of Washington, Strangers, Neighbors, Race, & Fear: Inter-Racial Interactions, Crime Stereotypes, and Perceptions of Safety
Local variation in perceptions of safety and fear of crime appears to be in part a reaction to local racial composition, and in particular the presence of African-Americans (Covington and Taylor 1991; Quillian and Pager 2001). The present research examines this relationship and in particular investigates Merry’s (1981) suggestion that a lack of interactions among members of different racial groups living in close proximity to one another engenders crime-related stereotypes and fear on the part of the groups towards each other. The research, using recent data for neighborhoods in the city of Seattle, finds racial and ethnic stereotypes, particularly about African-Americans, are associated with decreased perceptions of safety, even after accounting for local crime and personal experiences with victimization. The research also suggests that these stereotypes are less likely in neighborhoods where neighbors interact across racial and ethnic lines. Interestingly, individuals don’t need to personally interact with members of other races to achieve these effects; they only need to be aware that others in the neighborhood are interacting across racial and ethnic lines.
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