Fear of crime in the built environment

Abstract

This study aims to explore environmental design and socio-cultural theoretical views in relation to fear of crime in urban spaces. This discussion is divided into four sections. Section one explores studies in relation to environmental design approaches and fear of crime. These comprise broken window theory, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), defensible space and ‘eyes on street’. It explores how these perspectives shed light on the role of built environment as influencing fear of crime. Section two investigates prospect and refuge theory and its potential to provide a conceptual framework for the study of fear of crime in urban areas. In section three, I examine general socio-cultural explanations for fear of crime in urban spaces, including the influence of presence of people, gender, demographics, and media on fear of crime. Section four focuses how to extend prospect and refuge theory (environmental cues) by combining social variables (presence of other people, gender and social background of people). Primarily, this paper argues that planners and planning practice require a holistic understanding of fear of crime to be effective at policy development, implementation and evaluation. A more holistic understanding of fear of crime can be achieved by merging evolutionary biology (prospect & refuge theory) and socio-cultural theory with planning and urban design theory.