Victimization in the Grain Tower: A Study of the Effect of Community Perceptions on Victimization Risk and Perceived Wellness in a Rural Environment

Abstract

Social science research has studied the role of neighborhood order in explaining perceptions of crime and official crime statistics for decades. When citizens perceive their neighborhood to be socially and/or physically disordered, community and interpersonal relationships diminish, mistrust increases, including negative perceptions of police legitimacy, and overall individual wellness decreases. However, little is known about these interactions within a college population—neighborhoods referred to as “studentification” and described as “student ghettos.” Using an online survey distributed to all students, faculty, and staff of a midwestern rural university, we sought to better understand the university population’s perceptions regarding social disorder, police legitimacy, and the impact of different types of victimization on perceptions of wellness. Findings confirm women and those identifying as LGBTQIA+ fear crime at higher rates than men and reported lower levels of overall wellness, while all students perceive social disorder and police legitimacy similarly. This suggests that the perception of fear is the driving factor in influencing students, faculty, and staff’s overall wellness, suggesting colleges and universities should address the mere perception of crime to help ensure the health and well-being of all.