Fear of Crime And Bystander Attitudes Toward Intervening in Violent Crime

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to exclude the influence of the traditional "bystander effect" to explore whether contemporary factors affecting bystanders' willingness to intervene in violent crimes relate to their fear of crime, providing more comprehensive information for crime prevention strategies. Methods: Crime scenarios with varying levels of danger were presented in the questionnaire, and data were collected via an online survey platform. Based on 460 valid responses, analyses were conducted using mean score comparisons and correlation tests. Results: The willingness of bystanders to intervene decreased as the weapon used in robberies became more lethal or the number of people involved in fights increased. Among the participants, older individuals (aged 35 and above) were more likely to intervene than younger individuals; men were more inclined to intervene than women; and those with knowledge or experience in crime prevention strategies (involved in security and crime science professions) were more likely to intervene compared to the general population. Conclusions: The fear of crime among bystanders is reflected in increasingly dangerous street violence scenarios. Thus, the study finds that bystanders' attitudes towards intervention are deeply influenced by their fear of crime and provide direction for future research.