title: Neighbourhood design and fear of crime: a social-ecological examination of the correlates of residents' fear in new suburban housing developments.
abstract: This study explored the relationship between neighbourhood design and residents' fear of crime in new suburban housing developments. Self-report and objective data were collected as part of the RESIDential Environments (RESIDE) Project. A neighbourhood form index based on the planning and land-use characteristics that draw people into public space, facilitate pedestrian movement and ensure the presence of 'territorial guardians' was developed for each participant (n=1059) from objective environmental data. With each additional index attribute, the odds of being fearful reduced (trend test p value=0.001), and this persisted even after progressive adjustment for demographics, victimisation, collective efficacy and perceived problems. The findings support the notion that a more walkable neighbourhood is also a place, where residents feel safer, and provides further evidence endorsing a shift away from low density, curvilinear suburban developments towards more walkable communities with access to shops, parks and transit.
authors: Centre for the Built Environment and Health, School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley WA 6009, Australia. Sarah.Foster@uwa.edu.au
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Foster
authors: Billie
authors: B
authors: Giles-Corti
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Knuiman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime; D004779:Environment Design; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013383:Suburban Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking; D055815:Young Adult