do crime alert e-mails create a heightened perception of danger? cctp505-06 francesca tripodi,...

Do Crime Alert E-mails Create a Heightened Perception of Danger?

CCTP505-06

Francesca Tripodi, Jonathon Winters, Lauren Burgoon,

Jacob Landis, Lewis Levenberg, Ian Smalley

ALERT

ALERTCRIME

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

UniversityDCAlert

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

UniversityDCAlert

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

UniversityDCAlert

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

UniversityDCAlert

students

residents

business owners

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

UniversityDCAlert

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

UniversityDCAlert

students

residents

business owners

archive

victim

perpetrator

ALERTCRIME

REPORT

Police

UniversityDCAlert

Problem

Public Safety Alert e-mails issued by Georgetown University’s Department of Public Safety may affect Georgetown’s student and resident communities’ perception of crime and danger in the neighborhood. These perceived notions of danger may be unnecessarily greater than actual crime rates in the area.

Disciplines

Social Psychology

Criminology

Disciplines Social Psychology focuses on the effects of social and cognitive

processes on the way individuals perceive, influence, and relate to others. (1)

Criminology is the study of crime through various means, including crime statistics.

Project explores the relationship between Social Psychology and Criminology by analyzing the relationship between crime and the influence that technological alerts have on fear of crime.

1. Social PsychologyBy Eliot R. Smith, Diane M. MackiePublished by Psychology Press, 2000ISBN 086377587X

Research Gaps

Social Psychology What are the motivating factors for joining or paying

attention to crime alert systems? Are perceptions of danger heightened by mass crime

alerts? Do mass crime alerts change people’s behaviors?

Research Gaps

Criminology What is the crime rate at Georgetown compared to

other campuses and neighborhoods in the DC Metro area?

How many crimes are reported through Campus Safety, compared to those reported to Metropolitan Police?

How do “hot spot” maps generated by students compare to police generated “hot spot” maps?

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology Criminology

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Criminology

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Do crime alerts generate fear?

Criminology

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Do crime alerts generate fear? Does long-term residence

matter?

Criminology

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Do crime alerts generate fear? Does long-term residence

matter? Are safety impressions

accurate, compared to actual crime statistics in the area?

Criminology

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Do crime alerts generate fear? Does long-term residence

matter? Are safety impressions

accurate, compared to actual crime statistics in the area?

Criminology

What affects a neighborhood’s crime rate?

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Do crime alerts generate fear? Does long-term residence

matter? Are safety impressions

accurate, compared to actual crime statistics in the area?

Criminology

What affects a neighborhood’s crime rate?

How does crime rates in neighborhoods compare?

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Do crime alerts generate fear? Does long-term residence

matter? Are safety impressions

accurate, compared to actual crime statistics in the area?

Criminology

What affects a neighborhood’s crime rate?

How does crime rates in neighborhoods compare?

Who are the victims and perpetrators of crimes?

Research QuestionsSocial Psychology

How do communications technologies generally affect the way individuals form their perceptions of safety, community, trust, and fear?

Do crime alerts generate fear? Does long-term residence

matter? Are safety impressions

accurate, compared to actual crime statistics in the area?

Criminology

What affects a neighborhood’s crime rate?

How does crime rates in neighborhoods compare?

Who are the victims and perpetrators of crimes?

What makes an area a “crime hot spot”?

Methods for Research

Social Psychology Criminology

Methods for Research

Social Psychology

Surveys and interviews to gather data

Close reading of crime reports

Interpretation of survey responses

Criminology

Methods for Research

Social Psychology

Surveys and interviews to gather data

Close reading of crime reports

Interpretation of survey responses

Criminology

Data collection through crime reports

Longitudinal analysis Geographical analysis

Sample Survey Questions• When you applied to Georgetown University, what was your perception of Main Campus safety?

□ Very safe□ Somewhat safe□ Not at all safe

• How often do you read e-mail campus safety alerts sent by Georgetown University?□ Always□ Frequently (more than half of the alerts sent)□ Occasionally (less than half of the alerts sent)□ Never

• If you do read the alerts do you:□ Read the body of the e-mail?□ Clink on the link provided for more information?

• Do campus crime alerts affect your decision about where to visit on campus?□ Always□ Sometimes□ Never

• Do you receive crime alerts from outside of Georgetown University, i.e. the Metropolitan police? □ Yes□ No

PSA 206 - Georgetown

PSA 304 – Howard University

PSA 504 – Gallaudet University