Fear of crime, mobility and mental health in inner-city London, UK

This paper examines the relationship between fear of crime and mental health, and assesses the role interventions may have in helping overcome any negative impact arising from this fear. The data were gathered over a 2-year period in the Gospel Oak neighbourhood of North London using in-depth interviews, focus groups and participant observation. The data are analysed primarily by comparing the impact of fear of crime across sub-groups notably divided by gender, age and mental health status. It was found that fear of crime had a disproportionately negative impact on certain sub-groups, most notably low-income mothers, and to a lesser extent the mentally ill. They experienced what we term “time–space inequalities” as a consequence of fear of crime and other related factors. These inequalities describe variation in the ability to access and utilise different times and spaces within both the immediate and the wider environment. These have negative behavioural and affective consequences that appear to impact on overall mental health. They restrict spatial and temporal movement deterring protective social activity, health-promoting community involvement and use of services. Affective consequences include negative mood and low self-esteem. These inequalities were experienced less in other groups such as mentally healthy men or middle-income women. They appeared to be diminished by interventions that encourage spatial and temporal movement. These include comprehensive local transport, government-issued free travel passes for vulnerable populations and neighbourhood community safety measures such as the installation of CCTV. We suggest that experience of time–space inequalities may be damaging to mental health and that interventions which lessen them may help prevent, ameliorate or shorten episodes of mental illness.