ABSTRACT
Two reasons for this phenomenon can be advanced, the first is political, the second has to do with the criminal justice system. Fear of crime became a political issue in France in the 1970s. Questions
about rising crime were regularly raised in the battle between the parties of the right and those of the left. The mass media, especially the press, gave these stories full coverage, thus raising public awareness and levels of anxiety. At the same time, the economic crisis and the recession made many groups feel especially vulnerable.
