Fear Of Crime As One Of The Varieties And Non-Material Consequences

Abstract

The article substantiates the importance of criminological study of the intangible consequences of crime in general, and the fear of crime in particular. The level of fear of crime is an important indicator of the state’s ability to achieve the maximum level of security of the population, directly influencing criminal policy towards enhancing its repressive potential or liberalization.

The basic approaches to the analysis of fear of crime in the modern science of criminology are considered. In the context of the victim approach, the importance of the media in the process of objective and competent informing of the population of crime and its main characteristics, which is accompanied by consequences in the form of increasing / decreasing level of concern / fear of the society against crime, is revealed. The position of «criminological control» over mass communications is supported, which will help to improve victim’s security of citizens. Based on relevant sociological data, it is concluded that the fear of crime, by the importance of the problem for the population, is inferior to the desire to resolve the military conflict in the East of Ukraine and the realization of socio-economic wishes and interests.