Perceptions of crime changes, well-being, and personal safety during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Ontarians have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of their personal safety, well-being, and stress. As such, data was collected in January 2021 and surveyed 258 Ontarians to determine the effects that these factors have had on the public, and the public’s perceptions of crime changes from mid-March to mid-December 2020 and whether these perceptions were influenced by being an essential worker, gender, age, and minority status. Results found that stress was higher for essential workers during the first nine months of the pandemic. Overall crime was perceived to have remained the same, while child abuse, cybercrime, domestic violence, drug-related crime, financial crime, and hate crime were perceived to have increased. Female minority respondents felt less safe during the pandemic and well-being was more negatively impacted for younger respondents. Overall, the study findings suggest that resources are needed to recover from, and be prepared for, future pandemics.