This research originated from the concern that safety in schools could not be warranted by only improving the physical environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of social structural factors such as informal social control, collective efficacy, disorder, social ties as well as physical characteristics of the space which can affect crime and delinquent behavior in schools. In addition, exploring the risk and protective factors would help to contribute to a strategic plan for school safety.
For this study, student and community residents were surveyed using convenience sampling among the schools and community selected by quota sampling. Out of a total of 30 schools, ten schools such as elementary, middle and high schools were selected by quota sampling. A total of 1,763 students were surveyed from the 30 schools. For the community residents survey, residents were selected who were living within 5,000m from any of the 30 schools. A total of 1,620 community residents were selected using convenience sampling.
The questions for students related to perceptions toward their school and school environment, collective efficacy in schools and school environment, effect of specific CPTED strategies, fear of crime, and experience of offending and victimization on crime.
The result shows that 20% of student perceived that their school environment was highly disordered. Collective efficacy varies by the level of the school. To clarify, the mean score of the collective efficacy was higher in elementary schools than middle schools and high schools. As for the specific strategies of CPTED for school safety, students thought the school police, order imposed on the school environment, and having security personnel as good strategies. Students were very critical of their safety in schools and the school environment. Only 20% of students believed their school was safe from crime. The fear of crime was stronger for younger students. Most students felt the fear of crime in dark spaces. The most frequent crime in school was theft. Detailed survey results of this will be presented. The research question for the community included perceptions of the school environment and community. These perceptions were about collective efficacy of the school environment and community, disorder, impact of specific CPTED strategies, fear of crime, and crime victimization. The result shows that collective efficacy was higher in the community near high schools than elementary schools. Approximately 50% of community residents perceived that the immediate neighborhood where they live was in disorder. This level of disorder is higher in Incheon and Kyonggi than Seoul. The community agreed that using CCTVs was the most effective crime prevention tool for schools and the community. The community reported 10% to20% of residents experiencing crime victimization during the past few years and 40% to50 % of residents feeling the fear of crime near where they reside.
In addition, the risk and protective factors on fear of crime using the OLS regression for students and community residents was explored. Students who have weak family ties, parents with low income, a far commute from their home to school, transferring schools, low informal social control in the community and witnessing of crime scenes are more likely to be a victim than others. As for the community survey, residents in lower income groups, parents, those with a high education level, those residing on a low floor in an apartment, low informal social control in the community, and a high level of disorder in the community are more likely to feel the fear of crime than others. Detailed survey results will be illustrated and the policy implications will be discussed.