News and Fear of Crime in Chile

Abstract

Despite the fact that Chile is one of the countries with the lowest crime rates in Latin America, its population exhibits high levels of fear of crime. This research examines the influence of media consumption, among other factors, as a determinant of the fear of crime. A series of regression analysis indicate a positive relationship between an individual’s consumption of news television and fear of being a victim of crime. The study also finds that news commentary on crime has a significant impact on levels of fear. Nevertheless, the variables with the greatest impact on fear are not related to the media, but include perceptions on the environment problems, the respondent’s gender, age and whether he or she has been the victim of a crime.