A socio-ecological exploration of fear of crime in urban green spaces - A systematic review

Urban Forestry and Urban Greening

Volumn 13, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 1-18

  Sreetheran, Maruthaveeran ^a,b   van den Bosch, Cecil C Konijnendijk ^a,c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN   (Denmark)

^b FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE MALAYSIA   (Malaysia)

^c SWEDISH UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES   (Sweden)

Author keywords

Fisher and Nasar's typology; Landscape perception; Perceived safety; Prospect refuge theory; Victimisation

Indexed keywords

EXPLORATION; FUTURE PROSPECT; GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION; GREENSPACE; REFUGE; TYPOLOGY; URBAN AREA;

EID: 84896738494     PISSN: 16188667     EISSN: 16108167     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2013.11.006     Document Type: Review

References (132)

1. Abrams G., Ataov A., Courson W., Imeokparia T., Melsheimer W., Nasar J.L., Nix R. A Community Safety Guide for the City of Columbus 1993, Ohio State University, City and Regional Planning 851, Precinct Planning, Columbus, OH.
2. Adu-Mireku S. Fear of crime among residents of three communities in Accra, Ghana. International Journal of Comparative Sociology 2002, 43:153-168.
3. Amemiya M., Yokohari M. The physical characteristics of greenways that instill the fear of crime in a New Town. Journal of Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture 2002, 65:823-828. (in Japanese with English abstract).
4. Amemiya M., Yokohari M. Analyzing the fear of crime in parks and greenways: a case study of Tsukuba Science City, Japan. Journal of Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture 2003, 2:134-139.
5. Anderson L.M., Stokes G.S. Planting in parking lots to improve perceived attractiveness and security. Journal of Arboriculture 1989, 15:7-10.
6. Andrews M., Gatersleben B. Variations in perception of danger, fear and preference in a simulated natural environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2010, 30:473-481.
7. Atkins S., Husain S., Storey A. The influence of street lighting on crime and fear of crime. Crime Prevention Unit Paper No. 28 1991, Home Office, London.
8. Bannister J., Fyfe N.R. Fear and the city. Urban Studies 2001, 38:807-813.
9. Bixler R.D., Floyd M.F. Nature is scary, disgusting and uncomfortable. Environment and Behavior 1997, 29:443-467.
10. Bowler D.E., Buyung-Ali L.M., Knight T.M., Pullin A.S. A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health 2010, 10:456. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/456.
11. Brower S., Dockett K., Taylor R.B. Resident's perceptions of territorial features and perceived local threat. Environment and Behavior 1983, 15:419-437.
12. Brownlow A. An archaeology of fear and environmental change in Philadelphia. Geoforum 2006, 37:227-245.
13. Burgess J. Focusing on fear. Area 1996, 28:130-136.
14. Burgess J., Harrison C.M., Limb M. People, parks and the urban green: a study of popular meanings and values for open spaces in the city. Urban Studies 1988, 25:455-473.
15. Castonguay G., Jutras S. Children's appreciation of outdoor places in a poor neighborhood. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2009, 29:101-109.
16. Chiesura A. The role of urban parks for the sustainable city. Landscape and Urban Planning 2004, 68:129-138.
17. Clark J. Fear in fear of crime. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law 2003, 102:267-282.
18. Coles R.W., Bussey S.C. Urban forest landscapes in the UK - progressing the social agenda. Landscape and Urban Planning 2000, 52:181-188.
19. Coley R.L., Kuo F.E., Sullivan W.C. Where does community grow? The social context created by nature in urban public housing. Environment and Behavior 1997, 29:468-492.
20. Cooper-Marcus C., Barnes M. Healing Gardens: Therapeutic Benefits and Design Recommendations 1999, John Wiley, New York.
21. Crank J.P., Giacomazzi A., Heck C. Fear of crime in a nonurban setting. Journal of Criminal Justice 2003, 31:249-263.
22. Crew K. Linear parks and urban neighbourhoods: a study of the crime impact of the Boston south-west corridor. Journal of Urban Design 2001, 6:245-264.
23. Crow T., Brown T., De Young R. The Riverside and Berwyn experience: contrast in landscape structure, perceptions in the urban landscapes and their effects on people. Landscape and Urban Planning 2006, 75:282-299.
24. Dammert L., Malone M.F.T. Does it take a village? Policing strategies and fear of crime in Latin America. Latin American Politics and Society 2006, 48:27-51.
25. Daniel T.C., Meitner M.J. Representational validity of landscape visualizations: the effect of graphical realism on perceived scenic beauty of forest vistas. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2001, 21:61-72.
26. Donovan G.H., Prestemon J.P. The effect of trees on crime in Portland, Oregon. Environment and Behavior 2012, 44:3-30.
27. Doran B.J., Burgess M.B. Putting Fear of Crime on the Map: Investigating Perceptions of Crime Using Geographical Information System 2012, Springer, New York.
28. Farrall S., Bannister J., Ditton J., Gilchrist E. Social psychology and the 'fear of crime': re-examining a speculative model. British Journal of Criminology 2000, 40:399-413.
29. Ferraro K.F. Fear of Crime: Interpreting Victimization Risk 1995, State University of New York Press, Albany, NY.
30. Ferraro K.F. Women's fear of victimization: shadow of sexual assault. Social Forces 1996, 75:667-690.
31. Fisher B.S., May D. College students' crime-related fear on campus: are fear-provoking cues gendered?. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice 2009, 25:300-321.
32. Fisher B.S., Nasar J.L. Fear of crime in relation to three exterior site features: prospect, refuge, and escape. Environment and Behavior 1992, 24:35-65.
33. Fisher B.S., Sloan J.J., Wilkins D.L. Fear of crime and perceived risk of victimization in an urban university setting. Campus Crime: Legal, Social, and Policy Perspectives 1995, Charles C. Thomas Publishing, Springfield, IL. B.S. Fisher, J.J. Sloan (Eds.).
34. Foster S., Giles-Corti B. The built environment, neighborhood crime and constrained physical activity: an exploration of inconsistent findings. Preventive Medicine 2008, 47:241-251.
35. Foster S., Giles-Corti B., Knuiman M. Does fear of crime discourage walkers? A social-ecological exploration of fear as a deterrent to walking in new suburbs. Environment & Behavior 2013, 10.1177/0013916512465176.
36. Fox K.A., Nobles M.R., Piquero A.R. Gender, crime victimization and fear of crime. Security Journal 2009, 22:24-39.
37. Fraser D.G., Kenny W.A. Cultural background and landscape history as factors affecting perceptions of the urban forest. Journal of Arboriculture 2000, 26:106-112.
38. Glaser M. Security v. park and recreation service delivery: reduced effectiveness of public investment. Journal of Urban Affairs 1994, 16:359-369.
39. Gobster P.H., Westpahl L.M. The human dimensions of urban greenways: planning for recreation and related experiences. Landscape and Urban Planning 2004, 68:147-165.
40. Hale C. Fear of crime: a review of the literature. International Review of Victimology 1996, 4:79-150.
41. Hamel R.E. The dominance of English in the international scientific periodical literature and the future of language use in science. AILA Review 2007, 20:53-71.
42. Hanson R.F., Smith D.W., Kilpatrick D.G., Freedy J.R. Crime related fears and demographic diversity in Los Angeles County after the 1992 civil disturbances. Journal of Community Psychology 2000, 28:607-623.
43. Hartig T., Mang M., Evans G.W. Restorative effects of natural environment experience. Environment and Behaviour 1991, 23:3-26.
44. Hartig T., Evans G., Jamner L., Davis D., Garling T. Tracking restoration in natural and urban field settings. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2003, 23:109-123.
45. Herzog T.R. A cognitive analysis of preference for field-and-forest environments. Landscape Research 1984, 9:10-16.
46. Hung K., Crompton J.L. Benefits and constraints associated with the use of an urban park reported by a sample of elderly in Hong Kong. Leisure Studies 2006, 25:291-311.
47. James K., Embrey L. "Anyone could be lurking around!": constraints on adolescent girls' recreational activities after dark. World Leisure Journal 2001, 43:44-52.
48. Johnson J.D. Fear of crime in Botswana: impact of gender, victimization, and incivility. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice 2006, 30:235-253.
49. Jansson M., Fors H., Lindgren T., Wiström B. Perceived personal safety in relation to urban woodland vegetation - a review. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 2013, 12:127-133.
50. Jorgensen A., Anthopoulou A. Enjoyment and fear in urban woodlands - does age make a difference?. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 2007, 6:267-278.
51. Jorgensen A., Hitchmough J., Calvert T. Woodland spaces and edges: their impact on perception of safety and preference. Landscape and Urban Planning 2002, 60:135-150.
52. Jorgensen A., Hitchmough J., Dunnett N. Woodland as a setting for housing - appreciation and fear and the contribution to residential satisfaction and place identity in Warrington New Town, UK. Landscape and Urban Planning 2007, 79:273-287.
53. Kahn P. The Human Relationship with Nature: Development and Culture 1999, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
54. Kaplan S. Aesthetics, affect and cognition: environmental preference from an evolutionary perspective. Environment & Behavior 1987, 19:3-32.
55. Kaplan S., Kaplan R. Cognition and Environment: Functioning in an Uncertain World 1982, Praeger, New York.
56. Kaplan R., Kaplan S. The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective 1989, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
57. Karakus O., McGarrell E.F., Basibuyuk O. Fear of crime among citizens of Turkey. Journal of Criminal Justice 2010, 38:174-184.
58. Kimura C., Kumasi Y. A study on spatial characteristic of tree-lined sidewalk that causes fear of crime. Journal of the Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture 2006, 68:825-828.
59. Koskela H., Pain R. Revisiting fear and place: women's fear of attack and the built environment. Geoforum 2000, 31:269-280.
60. Krenichyn K. Women and physical activity in an urban park: enrichment and support through an ethic of care. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2004, 24:117-130.
61. Kroth D.P., Gimblett R.H. An investigation of on site experience as a method for articulating dynamic, multi-modal variables effecting landscape preference. Unpublished manuscript 1992, Ball State University, Washington, DC.
62. Kuo F.E., Sullivan W.C. Environment and crime in the inner city: does vegetation reduce crime?. Environment Behavior 2001, 333:343-367.
63. Kuo F.E., Bacaicoa M., Sullivan W.C. Transforming inner-city landscapes: trees, sense of safety, and preference. Environment and Behavior 1998, 30:28-59.
64. Lene J., Meeker J.W. Women's and men's fear of gang crimes: sexual and nonsexual assault as perceptually contemporaneous offenses. Justice Quarterly 2003, 20:337-371.
65. Lewis D.A., Maxfield M.G. Fear in the neighborhoods: an investigation of the impact of crime. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 1980, 17:160-189.
66. Lindgren T., Nilsen M.R. Safety in residential areas. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie 2012, 103:196-208.
67. Loewen L.J., Steel G.D., Suedfeld P. Perceived safety from crime in the urban environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology 1993, 13:323-331.
68. Lorenc T., Clayton S., Neary D., Whitehead M., Petticrew M., Thomson H., Cummins S., Sowden A., Renton A. Crime, fear of crime, environment, and mental health and wellbeing: mapping review of theories and causal pathways. Journal of Health and Place 2012, 18(4):757-765.
69. Lyytimäki J., Sipilä M. Hopping on one leg - the challenge of ecosystem disservices for urban green management. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 2009, 8:309-315.
70. Maas J., Spreeuwenberg P., Van Winsum-Westra M., Verheij R.A.M., deVries S., Groenewegen P.P. Is green space in the living environment associated with people's feelings of social safety?. Environment & Planning A 2009, 41:1763-1777.
71. MacNaghten P., Urry J. Bodies in the woods. Body & Society 2000, 6:166-182.
72. Madge C. Public parks and the geography of fear. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie 1997, 88:237-250.
73. Madriz E. Nothing Bad Happens to Good Girls: Fear of Crime in Women's Lives 1997, University of California Press, Berkeley.
74. Mambretti I.M. Urban Parks Between Safety and Aesthetics: Exploring Urban Green Space Using Visualisation and Conjoint Analysis Methods 2011, VDF Hochschulverlag, Zurich.
75. Mani M., Abdullah A., Azam Mustafa R., Jayaraman K., Bagheri A. The importance of well-designed children's play-environments in reducing parental concerns. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 2012, 11:1176-1184.
76. Markowitz F.E., Bellair P.E., Liska A.E., Liu J. Extending social disorganization theory: modeling the relationships between cohesion, disorder and fear. Criminology 2001, 39:293-321.
77. Maslow A.H. Toward a Psychology of Being 1968, D. Van Nostrand Company, New York.
78. McCormack G.R., Rock M., Toohey A.N., Hignell D. Characteristics of urban parks associated with park use and physical activity: a review of qualitative research. Health and Place 2010, 16:712-726.
79. Mesch G.S. Perceptions of risk, lifestyle activities and fear of crime. Deviant Behavior 2000, 21:47-62.
80. Miethe T.D. Fear and withdrawal from urban life. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 1995, 539:14-27.
81. Müderrisoǧlu H., Demir Z. The relationship between perceived beauty and safety in urban recreation parks. Journal of Applied Sciences 2004, 4:72-77.
82. Mykhalovskiy E., Miller F., Daniel M. Advancing the population health agenda: encouraging the integration of social theory into population health research and practice. Canadian Journal of Public Health 2004, 95:392-395.
83. Nasar J.L. A model relating visual attributes in the residential environment to fear of crime. Journal of Environmental Systems 1982, 11:247-255.
84. Nasar J.L., Fisher B.S. Hot spots of fear and crime: a multi-method investigation. Journal of Environmental Psychology 1993, 13:187-206.
85. Nasar J.L., Jones K. Landscape of fear and stress. Environment and Behavior 1997, 29:291-323.
86. Nasar J.L., Julian D., Buchman S., Humphreys D., Mrohaly M. The emotional quality of scenes and observation points: a look at prospect and refuge. Landscape and Planning 1983, 10:355-361.
87. Nasar J.L., Fisher B.S., Grannis M. Proximate physical cues to fear of crime. Landscape and Urban Planning 1993, 26:161-178.
88. O'Brien E. Publics and woodlands: well-being, local identity, social learning, conflict and management. Forestry 2005, 78:321-336.
89. Özgüner H. Cultural differences in attitudes towards urban parks and green spaces. Landscape Research 2011, 36:599-620.
90. Pain R. Whither women's fear? Perceptions of sexual violence in public and private. International Review of Victimology 1997, 4:297-312.
91. Painter K. The influence of street lighting improvements on crime, fear and pedestrian street use, after dark. Landscape and Urban Planning 1996, 35:193-201.
92. Parsons R., Daniel T.C. Good looking: in defence of scenic landscape aesthetics. Landscape and Urban Planning 2002, 60:43-56.
93. Peters B.E., Buijs A. Social interactions in urban parks: stimulating social cohesion?. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 2010, 9:93-100.
94. Ross C.E., Mirowsky J. Disorder and decay: the concept and measurement of perceived neighborhood disorder. Urban Affairs Review 1999, 34:412-432.
95. Ruiter R.A.C., Abraham C., Kok G. Scary warning and rational precautions: a review of the psychology of fear appeals. Psychology and Health 2001, 16:613-630.
96. Salant P., Dillman D.A. How to Conduct Your Own Survey 1994, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.
97. Scarborough B.K., Like-Haislip T.Z., Novak K.J., Lucas W.L., Alarid L.F. Assessing the relationship between individual characteristics, neighborhood context, and fear of crime. Journal of Criminal Justice 2010, 38:819-826.
98. Schafer J., Huebner B., Bynum T. Fear of crime and criminal victimization: gender based contrast. Journal of Criminal Justice 2006, 34:285-301.
99. Schroeder H.W. Preferred features of urban parks and forests. Journal of Arboriculture 1982, 8:317-322.
100. Schroeder H.W., Anderson L.M. Perception of personal safety in urban recreation sites. Journal of Leisure Research 1984, 16:178-194.
101. Schroeder H.W., Green T.L. Public preference for tree density in municipal parks. Journal of Arboriculture 1985, 11:272-277.
102. Shaffer G.S., Anderson L.M. Perceptions of the security and attractiveness of urban parking lots. Journal of Environmental Psychology 1985, 5:311-323.
103. Skår M. Forest dear forest fear: dwellers' relationship to their neighbourhood forest. Landscape and Urban Planning 2010, 98:110-116.
104. Skogan W.G. Fear of crime and neighborhood change. Crime and Justice 1986, 8:203-229.
105. Skogan W.G. Disorder and Decline: Crime and the Spiral of Decay in American Neighborhoods 1990, The Free Press, Beverley Hills.
106. Skogan W.G. Measuring what matters: crime, disorder and fear. Measuring What Matters: Proceedings from the Police Research Institute Meetings 1999, National Institute of Justice, Washington, DC. R.H. Langworthy (Ed.).
107. Skogan W.G., Maxfield M.G. Coping with Crime: Individual and Neighbourhood Reactions 1981, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
108. Stanko E.A. The case of fearful women: gender, personal safety and fear of crime. Women and Criminal Justice 1992, 4:117-135.
109. Stoks F.G. Assessing urban public space environment for danger of violent crime - especially rape. Conference on People and Physical Environment Research 1983, 331-343. Ministry of Works and Development, Wellington, NZ. D. Joiner, G. Brimikombe, J. Daish, J. Gray, D. Kernohan (Eds.).
110. Talbot J.F., Kaplan R. Needs and fears: the response to trees and nature in the inner city. Journal of Arboriculture 1984, 10:222-228.
111. Tashakkori A., Teddlie C. Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research 2003, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
112. Taylor R.B., Hale M. Testing alternative models of fear of crime. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 1986, 77:151-189.
113. Thompson E.E., Krause N. Living alone and neighborhood characteristics as predictors of social support in late life. Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 1998, 53:S354-S364.
114. Tjaden P.G., Thoennes N. Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women: Findings from the National Violence against Women Survey. National Institute of Justice and Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Research in Brief 1998, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
115. Tulloch M. The meaning of age differences in the fear of crime. British Journal of Criminology 2000, 40:451-467.
116. Ulrich R.S. View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science 1984, 224:42-421.
117. Ulrich R.S. Biophilia, biophobia and natural landscapes. The Biophilia Hypothesis 1993, Island Press/Shearwater Books, Washington, DC. S.R. Kellert, E.O. Wilson (Eds.).
118. Van den Berg A.E., Ter Heijne M. Fear versus fascination: an exploration of emotional responses to natural threats. Journal of Environmental Psychology 2005, 25:261-272.
119. Vaske J. Survey Research and Analysis: Applications in Parks, Recreation and Human Dimensions 2008, Venture Publishing, State College, Pennsylvania.
120. Wallace H. Victimology: Legal, Psychological, and Social Perspectives 1998, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA.
121. Warr M. Dangerous situations: social context and fear of victimization. Social forces 1990, 68:891-907.
122. Warr M. Fear of crime in the United States: avenues for research and policy. Journal of Criminal Justice 2000, 4:451-483.
123. Warr M., Stafford M.C. Fear of victimization: a look at the proximate causes. Social Forces 1983, 61:1033-1043.
124. Whyte, W.H., 1980. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Project for Public Spaces, New York.
125. Westover T.N. Perceptions of crime and safety in three Midwestern Parks. Professional Geographer 1985, 37:410-420.
126. Wilbur J., Chandler P., Dancy B., Choi J., Plonczynski D. Environmental, policy and cultural factors related to physical activities in urban, African American women. Women and Health 2002, 36:17-28.
127. Wilcox P., Jordan C.E., Pritchard A.J. A multidimensional examination of campus safety: victimization, perceptions of danger, worry about crime, and precautionary behavior among college women in the Post-Clery Era. Crime and Delinquency 2007, 53:219-254.
128. Woolley H., Amin N. Pakistani children in Sheffield and their perception and use of public open space. Children's Environ 1995, 12:479-488.
129. Woolley H., Amin N. Pakistani teenagers' use of public open space in Sheffield. Managing Leisure 1999, 4:156-167.
130. Yeoh B.S.A., Yeow P.L. Where women fear to tread: images of danger and the effects of fear of crime in Singapore. GeoJournal 1997, 43:273-286.
131. Yokohari M., Amemiya M., Amati M. The history and future directions of greenways in Japanese new towns. Landscape and Urban Planning 2006, 76:210-222.
132. Zelinka A., Brennan D. Safescape 2001, American Planning Association, Chicago.