Safety has become one of the fundamental preoccupations of the 1990s. In a world obsessed with abuse, stranger danger, disease and environmental damage, people are constantly told that they are at risk, and urged to take greater precautions and seek more protection. An in-depth consideration of the crime, health and safety scares which have come to dominate people's lives, this text argues that the current preoccupation with safety and survival reflects an outlook of low expectation. The book critically examines the roots and the consequences of contemporary risk consciousness, favouring the view that humans are capable of confronting problems and taking risks.