Do you worry about crime and violence? Apparently, most of us worry about it at least to some degree. Knowing that leads me to wonder how people respond to such worries. My guess is that people who worry about it more would probably be more likely to do something about it. Here is an example:
Imagine there has not been a residential burglary in your neighborhood for as long as you have lived there. You are not at all concerned about burglary. But then, to the surprise of everyone on your street, two houses in the neighborhood get hit on the same day. Suddenly there are a bunch of people calling Vivint Home Security to arrange for security system installation.
Would you be in that group? Even if you didn’t want a professionally installed home security system, would you at least invest in some form of DIY security tech? I probably would. Burglars hitting that close to home would give me reason to be concerned about my own safety.
Very Few Aren’t Worried at All
All of this was prompted by Gallup survey data I recently read. The data covered a variety of crime-related things people might worry about. The numbers go back all the way to 2001. For the record, the most recent numbers come from surveys taken in March 2025.
I am most interested in what people think about crime and violence. When asked how often they think about it in 20205:
- 47% said a great deal.
- 28% said a fair amount.
- 20% said only a little.
- 5% said not at all.
Interestingly, over 25 years of conducting the survey, only a single person had no opinion on crime and violence. That person responded to the survey in 2003. That tells me something important: that we all think about crime and violence to some degree.
The number of people who think about it a great deal has remained fairly consistent over the last 25 years. There have been some exceptions – like the 62% in 2001 and the 39% in 2014. But the number has hovered in the high 40s for the most part.
In essence, nearly half of us think about crime and violence a great deal. That’s not to say that we are all terrified of being the next victim in the neighborhood. But it does mean that we are cognizant enough to understand that crime and violence are real problems.
Awareness Is a Good Thing
By no means do I think we should be obsessing over crime and violence. But I do believe awareness is a good thing. People who are cognizant of the realities of crime and violence are motivated to take steps to improve their safety. The previous example of burglary is a perfect illustration. If I am aware of burglaries in the neighborhood, I am going to be more vigilant about not being victimized.
Raising awareness is the whole idea behind various campaigns designed to teach people about crime and safety. It’s the reason police departments remind people to be aware of their surroundings when they are out at night. It is why neighborhoods organize citizen patrol groups. It’s why state and local governments continue to remind people to report suspicious activity.
We may never reach the point at which most of us don’t think about crime and violence much at all. Whether or not that’s good is a matter of debate. For now, the fact is that we do think about it. Here’s hoping those thoughts lead to positive actions that make us all safer.
