Impact of Trust in Legal Systems and Institutions, and Perceived Safety on Fear of Crime

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of trust in law, institutions, and government agencies on fear of crime and to explore new factors that may explain fear of crime. Existing research on fear of crime has primarily focused on repeatedly measuring traditional factors, which limits the exploration of new variables. Therefore, this study aims to expand the existing police trust model by investigating how citizens' trust in law, institutions, and government agencies affects their fear of crime. For this research, data from the “2016 National Perceived Safety Survey,” conducted by the Korean Institute of Criminology, was utilized. The analysis revealed that trust in law and institutions did not have a significant impact on fear of crime, while higher trust in government agencies was associated with lower levels of fear. These findings are consistent with previous studies utilizing the police trust model, indicating that the legal and institutional systems enforced by the police do not influence fear of crime, whereas trust in the government agencies to which the police belong can effectively reduce it. Based on these results, the study suggests that increasing visible police patrols, enhancing the efficiency and transparency of government operations, and improving police effectiveness are essential strategies to alleviate fear of crime.