Local Community Characteristics and Criminal Victimization

Abstract

The paper presents part of the results of research conducted by the Association of Criminalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, addressing the importance and abilities of local communities in generating and preventing property crime. As a theoretical frame social disorganization was utilized, which holds that there are differences in victimization rates across urban areas due to the specific locale conditions. Analyses indicate on moderate relationship of local community conditions with criminal victimization. The greatest pre- dictory effect exerts social disorganization, which was designed and operationalized to measure the number of manifesting problems which are, to the opinion of the respondents, present in the area of their residence. However, the location of dwelling alone was not significant in predicting the victimization, yielding the significant relationship though through mediating effects of social disorganization, to which it was strongly associated. The findings are signal to the authorities that ecological issues deserve lot more attention, for both esthetic and, more importantly, safety reasons.