Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case Study

The complex relationship between crime and urban permeability is evident in the models of CPTED. Access restriction has been considered as a design strategy to reduce crime rates. The present study investigates the impact of impermeability on fear of crime in Kuruçeşme, a historic neighborhood in Bu...

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Main Authors: Meysam Soleimani, Maryam Golabi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Urban Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/1/1
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author Meysam Soleimani
Maryam Golabi
author_facet Meysam Soleimani
Maryam Golabi
author_sort Meysam Soleimani
collection DOAJ
description The complex relationship between crime and urban permeability is evident in the models of CPTED. Access restriction has been considered as a design strategy to reduce crime rates. The present study investigates the impact of impermeability on fear of crime in Kuruçeşme, a historic neighborhood in Bursa. Space Syntax is applied to evaluate the configurational relationship between the neighborhood and the city through correlation analysis of connectivity (local) and integration (global) measures. By choosing the least correlated segments in the scatter plot diagram, two incompatible areas are identified: areas with “excessive permeability” (locally permeable with low global accessibility) and areas with “severe impermeable” (globally accessible with low local permeability). These areas are assessed through semi-structured, in-depth interviews, allowing inhabitants to express their thoughts about and experiences of the fear of victimization. The findings reveal that physical cues perceived as signs of danger are different in public areas characterized with excessive permeability or severe impermeability. The former suffers from a lack of “natural surveillance” and physical disorders, while the latter engenders extreme “territoriality”, resulting in social incivilities. The research underscores that urban impermeability heightens the fear of victimization by changing the configurational features of a neighborhood and manipulating mechanisms of crime prevention.
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spelling doaj-art-3827c56656b84330a1e8e722775615fd2025-01-24T13:51:33ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512024-12-0191110.3390/urbansci9010001Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case StudyMeysam Soleimani0Maryam Golabi1Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Bursa Technical University, 16310 Bursa, TurkeyDepartment of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Bursa Technical University, 16310 Bursa, TurkeyThe complex relationship between crime and urban permeability is evident in the models of CPTED. Access restriction has been considered as a design strategy to reduce crime rates. The present study investigates the impact of impermeability on fear of crime in Kuruçeşme, a historic neighborhood in Bursa. Space Syntax is applied to evaluate the configurational relationship between the neighborhood and the city through correlation analysis of connectivity (local) and integration (global) measures. By choosing the least correlated segments in the scatter plot diagram, two incompatible areas are identified: areas with “excessive permeability” (locally permeable with low global accessibility) and areas with “severe impermeable” (globally accessible with low local permeability). These areas are assessed through semi-structured, in-depth interviews, allowing inhabitants to express their thoughts about and experiences of the fear of victimization. The findings reveal that physical cues perceived as signs of danger are different in public areas characterized with excessive permeability or severe impermeability. The former suffers from a lack of “natural surveillance” and physical disorders, while the latter engenders extreme “territoriality”, resulting in social incivilities. The research underscores that urban impermeability heightens the fear of victimization by changing the configurational features of a neighborhood and manipulating mechanisms of crime prevention.https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/1/1fear of crimeSpace SyntaxCPTED’s enclosure modelurban permeabilityKuruçeşme Neighborhood
spellingShingle Meysam Soleimani
Maryam Golabi
Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case Study
Urban Science
fear of crime
Space Syntax
CPTED’s enclosure model
urban permeability
Kuruçeşme Neighborhood
title Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case Study
title_full Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case Study
title_fullStr Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case Study
title_full_unstemmed Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case Study
title_short Studying Impacts of Urban Impermeability on Fear of Crime Using the Space Syntax Method; The Kuruçeşme Neighborhood as the Case Study
title_sort studying impacts of urban impermeability on fear of crime using the space syntax method the kurucesme neighborhood as the case study
topic fear of crime
Space Syntax
CPTED’s enclosure model
urban permeability
Kuruçeşme Neighborhood
url https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/1/1
work_keys_str_mv AT meysamsoleimani studyingimpactsofurbanimpermeabilityonfearofcrimeusingthespacesyntaxmethodthekurucesmeneighborhoodasthecasestudy
AT maryamgolabi studyingimpactsofurbanimpermeabilityonfearofcrimeusingthespacesyntaxmethodthekurucesmeneighborhoodasthecasestudy