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A comprehensive and accessible approach to crime prevention in the planning and design of public spaces

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Abstract

Crime and fear of crime are two of the main aspects that can influence, in a negative way, society and the life of urban citizens. In an attempt to approach this complex issue through urban design measures, a new discipline emerged in the 1960/70s, based in particular on the works of Oscar Newman. Today there are several best-practice manuals, which have their limitations and are seldom known or applied. The first part of the article wishes to introduce the nature of the current theoretical debate related to this issue. The second presents an innovative proposal for a more complete, comprehensive and accessible ‘best practices’ manual addressed to local planning authorities, planning professionals and the public. This presentation is embodied in a case study of a housing estate in Porto, illustrating the potentials and limitations of the application of the manual's checklists and design guidelines.

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Notes

  1. Stollard (1991), regarding the UK scenario, noted that a person is only victim of robbery once every 200 years, of assault once every 100 years, of car theft once every 50 years, of house theft once every 37 years, and vandalism to property once every 6 years. These figures are now 20 years old, but they may not have changed much since.

  2. See also www.designingoutcrime.com/.

  3. As the manual derives from the work made on a Master's thesis, it is presented in this publication in the original Portuguese language. Contact the authors for an English version.

  4. This method consists of selecting a series of variables and then determining which one contributes most strongly and independently to a given effect, and then the next variable after that, and the next, and the next, until the addition of a new variable no longer adds significance to the model.

  5. Newman and Franck (1980) found that if a building size is increased by 1 (theoretical) unit, then the use of public areas will decrease by 0.5, neighbor interaction will fall by 0.31 and the sense of control will decrease by 0.29, but fear of crime (by 0.38) and instability (by 0.39) will grow. Social and economic variables also affect fear (0.59), instability (0.51) and crime (0.32).

  6. www.designagainstcrime.com/.

  7. www.securedbydesign.com/, focusing more on target-hardening measures.

  8. See Hillier and Sahbaz (2008).

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Saraiva, M., Pinho, P. A comprehensive and accessible approach to crime prevention in the planning and design of public spaces. Urban Des Int 16, 213–226 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/udi.2011.7

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