Which crimes do Americans fear the most? A new report from the Council on Criminal Justice examines public fears about crime August 20, 2026 In August, the Council on Criminal Justice released a new report examining the public fears of different criminal offenses, and the individual characteristics, neighborhoods, broader worries, and other factors associated with those fears. The report was based on an online survey of 2,000 people and found that among 27 specific crimes, respondents worried most about becoming victims of identity theft, residential burglary, and online theft. The women surveyed reported higher levels of worry than men for nearly every offense, and respondents were more worried about a family member being victimized than themselves. “Understanding what influences fear of crime is important for improving people’s quality of life and informing public safety policy” wrote the report’s authors Ernesto Lopez, senior research specialist at CCJ, and Amanda Graham, an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Texas State University. Visit www.counciloncj.com to read the full report, which was published with support from The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.
