Factors of fear of crime among Korean citizens: The mediating effect of confidence in the police

Fear can deteriorate communities and erode the quality of life of residents. Some fear of crime literature argues that the police can be a tool for addressing residents' fear. However, the exact mechanism through which the police affect fear remains unknown. Using data from the 2013 Korean Crime Victim Survey, we examine the potential role that confidence in the police can play in explaining residents' fear of crime. Our findings suggest that confidence in the police mediates the relationship between some traditional indicators (i.e., informal social control) of fear. However, the persistent effects of other variables (i.e., gender) remain after accounting for confidence in the police. We discuss the implications of these findings for theory, future research, and public policy.