Responsibilisation Revisited: From Concept to Attribution in Crime Control

Abstract

To date, most discussions of responsibilisation have been conceptual - suggesting what the term may mean, and what its impact may be. This study explores factors that influence people to accept more responsibility for protecting themselves against the risk of crime victimisation. Using data from a random postal survey in an Australian jurisdiction, we explain variation in citizens responsibilisation for crime control. We find that people's views of police, particularly expectations of police attendance, satisfaction with police performance, perception of police responsiveness to calls for service, and attitudes to police legitimacy influence people's acceptance of responsibility for crime control. Findings also show responsibilisation is associated with gender, education, and fear of crime. These findings are independent of people's experience of crime victimisation. We highlight policy implications from our findings, including risks of responsibilisation for future policing strategies.