Agneta Mallén
Senior Lecturer
Trygghet i skärgårdsmiljö : En studie om rädsla för brott i Åboland
Author
Summary, in English
This study examines safety and fear of crime in Åboland, a predominantly rural area in southwestern Finland. It also examines crime and criminals in the area, as well as the distinctive social control that characterises Åboland's eight municipalities. The study continues two strands of research, the first about criminality and fear of crime in societies that are considered safe by their inhabitants, the second about safety and lack of fear of crime in Finnish societies.
My emphasis on social control originates in analytical abduction ? a combination of analytical induction and deduction. My attention has been drawn to the concept ?social control? in both the theoretical and empirical phases of this study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been used.
I discuss seven elements that can increase fear of crime, using them as tools to analyse the inhabitants? experiences and descriptions of safety: degree of urbanisation, environmental design, integration, trust, vulnerability, victimisation and mass media.
The safety in the Åboland area consists of several aspects. Many of the municipalities are connected to the mainland by ferry, which create visible borderlines between Åboland and the world outside. Åboland can thus be seen as a ?natural? gated community with the ferries keeping out ?dangerous? elements. Also, in Gemeinschaft societies such as Åboland, there is a considerable amount of trust between the inhabitants. This personal trust between inhabitants takes various forms. It is common practice to keep front doors, bicycles and cars unlocked. It is also common to trust neighbours or friends to provide help, for example in dangerous or threatening situations.
However, there are also dangers in the area. These dangers, of which drugs and drunk drivers are considered as most severe, increase the fear of crime. Most local offenders are nevertheless seen as non-dangerous, often because their crime is considered to be an unintentional result of inebriation rather than truly ?intentional? offending.
My emphasis on social control originates in analytical abduction ? a combination of analytical induction and deduction. My attention has been drawn to the concept ?social control? in both the theoretical and empirical phases of this study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been used.
I discuss seven elements that can increase fear of crime, using them as tools to analyse the inhabitants? experiences and descriptions of safety: degree of urbanisation, environmental design, integration, trust, vulnerability, victimisation and mass media.
The safety in the Åboland area consists of several aspects. Many of the municipalities are connected to the mainland by ferry, which create visible borderlines between Åboland and the world outside. Åboland can thus be seen as a ?natural? gated community with the ferries keeping out ?dangerous? elements. Also, in Gemeinschaft societies such as Åboland, there is a considerable amount of trust between the inhabitants. This personal trust between inhabitants takes various forms. It is common practice to keep front doors, bicycles and cars unlocked. It is also common to trust neighbours or friends to provide help, for example in dangerous or threatening situations.
However, there are also dangers in the area. These dangers, of which drugs and drunk drivers are considered as most severe, increase the fear of crime. Most local offenders are nevertheless seen as non-dangerous, often because their crime is considered to be an unintentional result of inebriation rather than truly ?intentional? offending.
Department/s
- Sociology
Publishing year
2005
Language
Swedish
Full text
Document type
Dissertation
Publisher
Department of Sociology, Lund University
Topic
- Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
Keywords
- Criminology
- Åboland
- Victimisation
- Trust
- Stranger
- Social control
- Shaming
- Safety
- Rural
- Risk
- Police
- Moral minimalism
- Gossip
- Gemeinschaft
- Gated community
- Fear of crime
- Established and outsiders
- Drink driving
- Archipelago
- Community
- Sociology
- Åboland
- Risk
- Kriminologi
- Sociologi
Status
Published
Supervisor
- Malin Åkerström
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISBN: 91-7267-195-5
Defence date
28 September 2005
Defence time
13:15
Defence place
Kulturens auditorium
Opponent
- Mats Franzén (Professor)