Security and the urban communities: crime-prevention and new urbanism

Abstract

This paper explores a link between space based crime prevention strategies formulated for residential settlements and principles of ‘new urbanism’. As safe neighbourhoods enhance liveability, security is a key element that gives a sense of belonging to residents of a community. Thus, crime rates can serve as “indicators” of the cohesiveness within such urban neighbourhoods. Thus, the paper examines whether space based strategies of crime prevention could also be used as design tools to create closely knit urban neighbourhoods. Most architectural theorists on crime prevention use the key operative term “combating anonymity”. They find root causes of crime in rapid urbanisation and the deterioration of traditional social systems that supported inherent mechanisms which reduced crime. With the erosion of such mechanisms they find the dissolution of neighbourhoods and resultant social isolation. As a remedy they prescribe countering such ‘isolation’ by structuring physical spaces in urban habitats in a manner that could eradicate anonymity from neighbourhoods. The paper observes similarities between such approaches and the doctrine of “new urbanism” to create cohesive neighbourhoods. It uses local examples to explore how ‘neighbourhoods featuring characters of New-Urbanism’ ensure low levels of crime. Thus, an exploration is made on ‘common principles’ shared by the two space based approaches of: crime prevention and New-Urbanism.