Effects of the predictability and controllability of crime on risk perception and the fear of crime were investigated in 688 Japanese university students (362 males, 323 females, and 3 unidentified; mean age 19.9 years). It was hypothesized that both predictability and controllability would be directly related to risk perception, whereas these variables would have a direct as well as an indirect relation via risk perception to the fear of crime. This hypothesis was examined for two types of risk perception, assessments of personal risk and crime trends, and two types of crimes, face-to-face and non-face-to-face crimes. Results indicated the following, (1) There was a significant relationship between the predictability and controllability of crime and risk perception, regardless of the type of crime. (2) The indirect paths from predictability and controllability to fear of crime via risk perception were significant for the two types of crimes. (3) A significant direct relationship between predictability and the fear of crime was found only for face-to-face crimes. The significance of these findings is discussed.
