Ethnic residential segregation and residents’ perceptions of safety : The case of Arabs and Jews in Israel

Abstract

The paper focuses on the differential impact of ethnicity and the ethnic composition of community on residents’ perceptions of safety among Jews (majority population) and Arabs (ethnic minority) in Israel. Data for the analysis were obtained from a national representative sample of 908 Jews and Arabs residing in 71 urban localities. The localities were divided into two major types: ethnically homogeneous and ethnically heterogeneous (mixed) communities. The findings indicate that Arabs do not feel as safe as Jews, regardless of type of community, and that Arabs’ level of sense of personal safety is similar in the two types of localities. Multivariate analyses (linear regression and bi-level hierarchical regression model) reveal that residence in an ethnically homogeneous locality is likely to enhance positive perceptions about personal safety only among Jews (but not among Arabs). Consequently, Jews residing in ethnically homogeneous (Jewish) communities report the highest level of personal safety. The findings hold after controlling for socio-demographic attributes of respondents and variations in size, socioeconomic standing and crime rate of communities. Apparently, the ethnic composition of community is consequential for formation of perceptions about safety only among members of the majority population. The meanings of the findings are discussed and interpreted in the light of sociological theory and within the context of Israeli society.