Enhancing Safety in Public Spaces: Understanding Fear and Crime Trends

1. Fear and Safety in Public Spaces Kristen Day, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Planning, Policy, and Design University of California, Irvine

2. Crime & safety in the US • • Consider actual crime and fear of crime • • Can have fear • problem without • crime problem Photo: http://www.cpted-watch.com/

3. Crime down in US since 1994 • Violent crime down 58% - From 714 to 466 victimizations/ 100,000 people • Property crime down 52% - From 4660 to 3,517 crimes/ 100,000 people Source: 2004 FBI Uniform Crime report.

4. Minnesota crime trends • • Crime down • since 1994 • - Up slightly in 2004 • • MN rates are less than US average - 270 violent crimes/100,000 people • - 3,039 property crimes/100,000 people Neighborhood watch patrol Source: 2004 FBI Uniform Crime report. Photo: minnesota.publicradio.org

5. Fear of crime • • 38% of people fear walking alone at night in own neighborhood in US • 19% of men • 47% of women • % stays same, though crime drops • Crime is localized; fear is widespread Source: Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics Online, Table 2.37, 2005 Photo: www.Rikoksentorjuntanneuvosta.

6. Who is affected? • • Violent crime is highest among low income, minority (black, Hispanic), young (< age 25), men, urban residents • Men = victims by strangers Women = victims by non-strangers Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, September 2006, NCJ 214644.

7. Fear is highest among elderly women, black & Hispanic people • • Who fears walking alone in own • neighborhood at night? • - 41% non-white adults, 30% white adults • - 47% women, 19% men Sources: Bureau of Justice Statistics Sourcebook, 2002; Gordon, S. & Riger, M. (1989). The female fear, New York: Free Press.

8. Crimes in Public Places • • Crime not distributed evenly • - In “hot spots” • • Hot spots = • High concentration of potential offenders • Easy access • Concentration of criminal targets • Few guardians or controllers • Hot spots are 1st target for planning, design

9. Public spaces/public crime & disorder • Parks, outdoors areas • - Sexual assaults, robberies, drug dealing,graffiti, vagrancy • • Parking lots • Theft of/from cars, robbery, sexual assault • • Transit stations • Personal, property crime at station, nearby • • Entertainment areas (bars, stadia, etc.) • Assaults, pickpockets, property crimes • • Shopping centers • Shoplifting, public disorder (disorderly conduct, vagrancy, drugs, gang activity, etc.)

10. Fear in Public Places (1) Low prospect (2) High refuge (3) High boundedness

11. Prospect • Low (–) High (+)

12. Refuge • High (–) Low (+)

13. Boundedness • High (–) Low (+)

14. Social and Physical Incivilities Photos: www.bewareofthedogma.com/; www.photo.net/.../homeless-in-washington-dc-13; www.illegaleconomy.com/prostitution/prostitut...

15. • Also, consider • places where people • fear hassling or • harassment • - Of women • - Of people of color • - Of gays/lesbians/transgenders • Includes specific cities, neighborhoods, public spaces, wilderness spaces Photo: www.streetharassmentproject.org

16. Impacts of crime, fear on health • • Violence, homicide • • Stress • Reduced physical activity • - Groups with highest • fear = highest obesity • rates, low physical • activity • • Isolation, poor quality of life Photo: news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/3044625.stm.

17. Impacts on communities • • Impacts hard to disentangle • • Can include fear, distrust, neglect, limited involvement, low sense of community • Limits community development, investment Photo: vzaliva.livejournal.com/tag/photo.

18. Design for safety • • History • Jane Jacobs: “Eyes on the street” • Oscar Newman: Defensible space • James Q. Wilson & George Kelling: Broken windows theory • C. Ray Jeffrey: Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED)

19. Different approaches • • CPTED = criminology focus • - Keep criminals out • • Safescape = • urban planning focus • Public safety • Promote sense of community Photos: www.planning.org; www.amazon.com

20. Safescape principles • Address fear and crime • Principles (1) Seeing and being seen (2) Socializing and interaction (3) Stewardship and ownership (4) Information and orientation Zelinka, A. & Brennan, D. (2001). Safescape. Creating safer, more livable communities through planning and design. Chicago: American Planning Association.

21. (1) Seeing and being seen • • People act responsibly when can be seen by others • • We feel safer when can clearly see surroundings

22. Allow clear views • Consider sight lines - Windows, landscaping, street walls • Few hiding spaces • Security cameras are not a substitute for natural surveillance Photos: www.efn.org/~hkrieger/mallaise.htm; crimeprevention.rutgers.edu/.../cart_block.htm; www1.br.cc.va.us/murray/research/cpted/role_o…; www.just-tenerife.com/resorts/garachico.htm; www.lileks.com/mpls/modern/commercial/54th.html

23. Appropriate lighting • Exterior of buildings well lit - Especially rear areas • Special treatment for pedestrian areas Photos: www.shuionland.com/sol/tabid/249/Default.aspx; mediaroom.visitpa.com/ imageGallery.aspx?file_…; www.ci.lynnwood.wa.us/Content/Business.aspx?id=58

24. Activity generators • • Accessory uses = • eyes on the street - Ground floor retail • Outdoor dining • Public spaces • Support for pedestrians Photos: www.schaperpaint.com/clients.html ; www.nwt.org/gcsnapshots8.htm; www.alamedainfo.com/linoaks_motel_alameda.htm; www.twincitiesdiningguide.com/

25. (2) Socializing and interaction • • Environments often isolate us • • Design, planning can encourage interaction, socializing, looking out for others • • Reduces fear

26. Mixed uses • • Different uses in walking distance • - Lively on weekends, evenings • • Activity generators: • - Post office, police station, court houses, some types of retail Photos: you-are-here.com/building/printers.html; www.smith.mn/journal/journal2.html

27. Vibrant public realm • • Support interaction • with strangers • Public art, music, programming, support for kids, dogs • • Encourage spending time • Farmers markets, outdoor dining, plazas, vendors, outdoor seating Photos: www.greatamericandowntown.org/downtown_direct…; www.invisible5.org/index.php?page=press; www.mystclair.com/ private/oldsite/gal_1.html

28. Activated alleys and lively sidewalks • • Alleys, rear of buildings = lifeless • Make these spaces lively, well-maintained • • Sidewalk are movement predictors • Don’t isolate from cars, link to activities Photos:chesnes.com/seattle.html; www.flickr.com/photos/laor/page8/; www.sanbrunobart.com/.../Large/00060906.shtml

29. (3) Stewardship and ownership • • Maintain, protect environment • • Others will respect it

30. Hierarchy of spaces • • Clear differentiation: • public/semi-public/semi-private/private • - Tells people where they belong • - Heightens stewardship Photos: www.barnabasproject.org.uk/page.cfm?pageid=bp…; www.aallnet.org/events/local01/shopeat.htm; www.ia-bednbreakfast-inns.com/auntieanns.htm

31. High quality environment • • Few amenities shows lack of ownership, pride • - Deferred maintenance, obsolete infrastructure, few services • • High quality environment promotes feeling safe Photos: www.deborahbrownfineart.com/public_art_instal…; www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,109861,00.asp; www.storm3000.com/2005day8.html

32. Discourage graffiti • • Minimize blank walls • Public art • Strategic landscaping • Graffiti abatement and removal program Photos: ktwu.washburn.edu/.../sj2003/sj1608.html; home.powertech.no/vifo/sksk/skibotn/

33. (4) Information and orientation • • Need to know where you are, where you are going, what to avoid, to reduce fear • • Wayfinding information can increase comfort, feeling safe

34. Landmarks • • Know where you are • From far away and nearby • Consider landmarks for drivers, walkers Photos: http://www.ripbang.com/RBA/portfolio/dr_citiwalk.html; www.fredonia.edu/prweb/releases/ clocktower.htm; www.cadencialatina.com/.../webs/chicago.htm

35. Signage • • Sufficient in # • • Uncluttered in appearance Photos: www.airport-technology.com/contractors/baggag…; www.jrcdesign.com/environmental/wayfinding2.html; www.commuterpage.com/PikeRide/bus_stops.htm

36. • Other orientation aides • Hierarchy of entrances • Directories • Pavement markings • • Informed pedestrians have sense of direction, self-confidence • - Deters crime Photos: unit501.tripod.com/lbc/2006 /index.htm; www.planning.dot.gov/ .../domscan603.htm; www.lancastercampaign.org/ .../dd_wayfinding.htm

37. Lessons for planning • • Can’t ignore deeper factors that create crime • • Crime, fear prevention goes along with economic, community development • - Jobs, affordable housing, quality schools

38. Resources • Publications • Crowe, T. & NCPI (2000). Crime prevention through environmental design. 2nd Ed. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann. • Colquhoun, I. (2004). Design out crime: Creating safe and sustainable communities. Burlington, MA : Architectural Press. • National Crime Prevention Council. (1997). Designing safer communities: A CPTED handbook. 1/800/NCPC-911.

39. Publications (continued) • Taylor, R.B. & Harrell, A. V. (1996). Physical environment and crime. Washington, D.C. : National Institute of Justice. • Wekerle, G. R. & Whitzman, C. (1995). Safe cities. Guidelines for planning, design, and management. NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold. • Zelinka, A. & Brennan, D. (2001). Safescape. Creating safer, more livable communities through planning and design. Chicago: American Planning Association.

40. Organizations & Websites • The International CPTED Association (ICA). International membership organization, CPTED resource listings.http://www.cpted.net/home.html • Secured by Design. Official UK police website for security and designing out crime. http://www.securedbydesign.com/ • National Crime Prevention Council. CPTED training, publications.http://www.ncpc.org/training/CPTED.php • APA Safe Growth checklist. • www.planning.org