The Relationship Between Territorial Functioning and Victimisation: A Comparative Study of High and Low Crime Rate Estates

This study examines territorial functioning in neighbourhoods with different crime levels. Territorial functioning was measured on two dimensions: territorial attitudes and marking behaviour. In addition, perception of safety and fear of crime was also incorporated in the questionnaire based on the British Crime Survey. Police recorded Offence and Offender Data were used as an index of crime level. The survey involved 206 participants from three council estates in Sheffield, UK. The study reveals that victimization is associated with low territorial functioning. People who are more territorial were less likely to be victimised than their opposite counterparts.