Fear of Crime in Remote Areas: Model Verification

This study aims to identify the determinants of fear of crime among residents in island and mountainous areas of South Korea, where communities are experiencing social disorganization due to population decline. Based on disorder theory, collective efficacy theory, and police legitimacy theory, three structural equation models were developed and compared in terms of their relative explanatory power. Using secondary survey data collected from 818 residents, hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling were conducted to examine the causal paths among key variables. The results showed that in the disorder model, community disorder had a significant direct positive effect on fear of crime. In the collective efficacy model, none of the hypothesized paths were statistically significant. In contrast, the police legitimacy model demonstrated the strongest explanatory power, with police effectiveness having a significant indirect negative effect on fear of crime, mediated by social disorder. These findings suggest that trust in police and perceptions of police effectiveness are key factors in mitigating fear of crime in island and mountainous areas. This study provides meaningful implications for future policing strategies and crime prevention policies in declining rural communities.