Modelling urban crime through workforce size: a test of the activity support concept

摘要

Crime has not figured strongly in urban planning agendas, it has been more of an afterthought. The consequences of this are property losses, psychological impact, high insurance premiums, and large police forces. There has been a gradual shift from the study of the offender to that of the victimized object. Most design-related efforts have been directed at the building and few at the neighbourhood or city level. There are opposing views regarding the effect of land use on crime. This research studies the relationship between the extent of economic activities and services and five types of crime using data from Utrecht in Holland. The findings show that (a) a relationship does exist, (b) the effect of some sectors is constant across crime types, and (c) some activities have a positive relation whilst others a negative relation with crime. The implications of these findings for planning and crime prevention are discussed.