Investigation of crime commitment opportunity decrease role in urban neighborhood's safety promotion by using positional approach (Case study: sa'adi and kooshkmeidan neighborhoods, Shiraz)

Subject Areas : Regional Planning

A.R Abdolahzade fard ¹ , روجا Khosravi ²

1 - Assistant Professorو Department of urban design, Safashahr branch, Islamic Azad University, Safashahr, Iran
2 - Department of urban design, Beyza branch, Islamic Azad University, Beyza, Iran

Received: 2017-09-18 Accepted : 2018-01-20 Published : 2017-12-22

Keywords: decrease crime opportunity, upgrade neighborhood security, Positional approach,

Abstract :

Crime will occur only where there is a convergence in space and time of motivated offenders, suitable targets and the absence of capable guardians. Before 20th century, criminologists emphasized on recognizing the felon characteristics and empowering the victims. Then a "positional prevention approach" was introduced as a result of a fundamental shift from human characteristics to environmental factors. It is assumed that fewer opportunities for committing a crime will lead to higher security of the place. This study evaluated the role of decreasing environmental opportunities for crime in increasing neighborhood security. Koshk meidan and Saadi neighborhoods, in the city of Shiraz, were selected as case studies regarding their inefficient urban environments. Simple random method was chosen for this research's sampling and the sample size calculated based on Cochran formula. Then the data have been processed using Spss and Amos. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used for questionnaire Reliability test and Structural equation model was used to evaluate the role of crime opportunities in neighborhood's security. The results showed that for every unit decrease in crime opportunities, the neighborhood's security would increase 0.78 unit for Saadi and 0.63 unit for Koshk meidan. Among all factors influencing crime opportunity reduction, social cohesion in Saadi and Territoriality in Koshk meidan had the strongest effect on improving security. By paying more attention in the scope of above factors on improving neighborhood security, proper guidelines could be introduced.

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