A place-based crime prevention through urban design: The case of Sahibata Neighborhood in Konya

Abstract

People have the right to live in a safe environment free from crime and fear of crime with the most basic social needs. Although the subject has many different dimensions, this study evaluates it from a spatial perspective. The main aim of the study is to determine whether urban design is effective in reducing crime and fear of crime in urban spaces. For this purpose, firstly, place-based theories were investigated and a total of 12 effective design factors in producing safer spaces were revealed. Secondly, these factors were tested by visual observations and a total of 109 surveys with the users of the Sahibata neighborhood which has the highest crime rate in the city. While the visual observations were interpreted by photographs, the derived survey data were interpreted by using frequency and crosstab analysis. In conclusion, besides producing some spatial strategies such as revitalizing the lost spaces, increasing the lighting level, providing activity generators, variety of functions, decreasing the acts of vandalism signs and providing legibility and belonging clues in the sample area, it was emphasized that urban design is effective in minimizing crime and fear of crime, but it cannot be a single tool and it is necessary to evaluate the issue in the long term in all its other dimensions.