MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile: Living in fear.

Crime has become the greatest fear for Santiago de Chile residents according to the latest opinion poll from “Fundación Futura”, a non government organization that monitors law and order problems.

The opinion poll titled "Living in fear" shows that 61% of Santiago residents are more fearful of crime and street delinquency than other options such as death of a beloved, 49%; becoming ill, 34%; loosing the job 23% or death 17%.

The poll also indicates that the level of public security feeling has dropped from 22% in April 1998 to 15% in September 2003, when 85% of those interviewed said they felt "insecure or very insecure".

Regarding assessment of the different law and order organizations, Carabineros (local Police) comes well ahead with a 46% approval (good or very good). On the other extreme with a negative appraisal figure the Judiciary branch and Congress 53 and 52% (bad or very bad).

The areas most feared of Santiago are in the south while those considered the safest are to the east where the higher income brackets live.

The phone interviews were done between September 25/27 involving 402 homes in the 34 different counties of greater (metropolitan) Santiago.