REFLECTIONS ABOUT INTERVENTIONS AND STRATEGIES ON INCREASING FEELINGS OF SAFETY IN LATER LIFE

Year 2010, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 83 - 89, 01.06.2010

Liesbeth De Donder Dominique Verté Nico De Witte Tine Buffel Sarah Dury

Abstract

Practices on increasing feelings of safety among older people often occur without the necessary empirical foundation. In response to this lack of evidence-based policy, this article provides a critical overview of several distinct practices and approaches by confronting them with empirical evidence. This contribution criticizes narrow rationalist approaches and summarizes the most important symbolical guidelines to heighten feelings of safety. Attention is given to the discussion between the increasing importance placed on so-called responsibilisation on the one hand and feelings of unsafety as a police’s task or as a broader societal concern and responsibility for local authorities on the other. Several methods are discussed in order to formulate key components of successful strategies

Keywords

Ageing, Feelings of safety, Fear of crime, Policy Recommendations

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