Physical and social structures of urban spaces may cause them to turn into crime areas or areas that can create fear of crime. Fear of crime is an important urban problem which affects the quality of life in cities as much as the crime cases themselves. Personal safety and the need for protection from crime have a considerably critical place among the issues to take into account during urban design and planning. The aim of the present study is to explain fear of crime as a problem which affects the life quality negatively in the city centers that turn into crime areas with urbanization and to determine the factors causing this situation. With this aim in mind, a questionnaire study has been carried out in Be ? ikta ? Sinanpa ? a Neighborhood to evaluate the safety perception of the users and to identify the factors creating the perception of unsafety. In addition, the relationship between fear and space structure has been examined by using the space syntax method. As a result of the study, it is determined that the relationship between fear of crime and environmental factors is relatively stronger than the relationship between fear and demographic factors. Accessibility of the environment, in addition to the factors such as overpopulation in urban space, desolateness, inadequate lighting, and graffiti-like elements in the area, has been found to contribute negatively to the increase of fear of crime.
KeywordsUrban CrimeSafety PerceptionFear of CrimeUrban DesignCity Security
Apak, S., ülken, G., & ünlü, A. (2002). Yeni bir toplu konut yerlesmesinde güvenlik duygusunun degerlendirilmesi. [Assessment of Security Perception in a New Housing Complex.] Itü Dergisi/a, 1, 65-72.
Atac, E. (2007). The Perception of Crime in Urban Space; Feeling of insecurity. Issue 06, TMMOB Mimarlar Odasi Ankara Subesi, Journal 55, November-December 2007.
Atac, E. (2008). Kent, güvenlik ve güvenli kent planlamasi; Bursa Ornegi (Yüksek lisans tezi). [City, Security and Safe Urban Planning; Bursa Example (Master Degree Thesis).] Ankara: Gazi üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü.
Basibüyük, O., & Karakus, O. (2010). Sosyal düzensizlik ve toplum destekli güvenlik politikalari. [Social disorganization and community-supported security policies.] Türkiye Sosyoloji Arastirmalari Dergisi, 13, 65-97.
Bilen, O., Askin, O. H., Okten, A., & Gur, M. (2013). How the Fear of Crime Spatially Differs among the Districts of Istanbuli. NWSA-Social Sciences, 8, 153-164.
Boers, K. (2003). Crime, Fear of Crime and the Operation of Crime Control in the Light of Victim Surveys and Other Empirical Studies. In 22nd Criminological Research Conference (pp. 24-26). Munster University.
Chadee, D., & Ditton, J. (2003). Are Older People Most Afraid of Crime? British Journal of Criminology, 43, 417-433. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/43.2.417
Cardak, B. (2011). Ankara’da yasayan kadinlarda suc magduru olma korkusu üzerine nitel bir calisma (Yayimlanmamis yüksek lisans tezi). [A Qualitative Study on the Fear of Crime Victimization in Women Living in Ankara (Unpublished Post Graduate Thesis).] Ankara: T.C. Kara Harp Okulu.
Dolu, O., Uludag, S., & Dogutas, C. (2010). Fear of Crime: Causes, Consequences and Security Policies. Ankara University SBF Journal, 65, 57-81.
Düzgün, S. (2007). Suc olgusuna teorik yaklasimlar ve disiplinlerarasilik. [Theoretical Approaches and Interdisciplinarity to Crime Issue.] TMMOB Ankara Subesi Bülteni, 6, 4-10.
Ergun, N., & Yirmibesoglu, F. (2007). Distribution of Crime Rates in Different Districts in Istanbul. Turkish Studies, 8, 435-455. https://doi.org/10.1080/14683840701489324
Ergun, N., & Yirmibesoglu, F. (2015). Fear of Crime among Women in the Old City Center of Istanbul. Current Urban studies, 3, 161-174. https://doi.org/10.4236/cus.2015.32014
Ergun, N., & Yirmibesoglu, F. (2016). Differences Fear of Crime between Residents and Visitors in the Old City Center of Istanbul. Valley International Journals, 3, 3106-3122.
Fattah, E. A. (1993). Victimisation and Fear of Crime among the Elderly: A Possible Link? Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/conferences/olderpeople/fattah.pdf
Ferguson K. M., & Mindel C. H. (2007). Modeling Fear of Crime in Dallas Neighborhoods: A Test of Social Capital Theory. Crime & Deliquency, 53, 322-349. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128705285039
Ferraro, K. F. (1995). Fear of Crime, Interpreting Victimization Risk. New York, NY: Suny Research & Forecast Inc.
Gokulu, G. (2010). Kent güvenligi, kentlesme ve suc iliskisi. [Urban security, urbanization and crime relation.] Atatürk üniversitesi Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Dergisi, 24, 209-226.
Gürbüz, D. (2015). Türkiye’de kentlesme sürecinde coküntü bolgesi ve suc iliskisi: Hacibayram Mahallesi ornegi. [The Process of Urbanization in Slum Areas and Crime Relation in Turkey: Sample of Hacibayram Neigbourhood.] Akademik Bakis Dergisi, 47, 1-15.
Hillier, B., & Shu, S. (2000). Crime and Urban Layout: The Need for Evidence. In S. Bal-lintyne, K. Pease, & V. McLaren (Eds.), Secure Foundations: Key Issues in Crime Prevention, Crime Reduction and Community Safety (pp. 224-248). London: IPPR.
Hope, T., & Hough, M. (1998). Community Approaches to Reducing Crime. In T. Hope, & M. Shaw (Eds.), (pp. 1-29). London: Communities and Crime Reduction (Her Majesty’s Stationary Office).
Jones, M., & Fanek, M. (1997). Crime in the Urban Environment. In M. D. Major, L. Amorim, & F. Dufoux (Eds.), Proceedings of the 1st International Space Syntax Symposium, Vol. II, London, 25.1-25.11.
Koklü, E. (2016). Kent merkezlerinde suc korkusunun incelenmesi: Besiktas ornegi (Yüksek lisans tezi). [Investigation of Fear of Crime In City Centers: Besiktas Sample.] Istanbul: Istanbul Teknik üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü.
Listerborn, C. (1999). Women’s Fear and Space Configurations. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Space Syntax. http://www.spacesyntax.net/symposia-archive/SSS2/SpSx%202nd%20Symposium%2099%20-2003%20pdf/2nd%20Symposium%20Vol%202%20pdf/51%20Listerborn%20300.pdf
Maslow, A. H. (1942). The Dynamics of Psychological Security-Insecurity. Journal of Personality, 10, 331-344. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1942.tb01911.x
Melde, E. C. (2007). Peer-Group Composition and the Percieved Risk of Victimization: Modeling Fear of Crime in a School-Based Sample. Unpublished PHD Thesis, St. Louis: University of Missouri Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Nubani, L., & Wineman, J. (2013). The Role of Space Syntax in Identifying the Relationship between Space and Crime. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 53, 1689-1699.
Pain, R. (2000). Place, Social Relations and the Fear of Crime: A Review. Progres in Human Geography, 24, 365-388. https://doi.org/10.1191/030913200701540474
Robert, P., & Pottier, M. (2002). Crime et securite; L’etat des savoirs. [Crime and Security; The State of Knowledge.] Ceviren: Veysel Er, Polis Dergisi, 39, 13-24.
Sandstig, G. (2010). Media Influences and Effects on Experiences of Uncertainty and Fear in Urban Spaces. Journal of US-China Public Administration, 7, 66-84.
Shaw, C. R., & McKay, H. D. (1942). Juvenile Delinquency in Urban Areas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Skogan, W. G., & Maxfield, M. G. (1981). Coping with Crime: Individual and Neighbourhood Reactions. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Smolej, M., & Kivivuori, J. (2006). The Relation between Crime News and Fear of Violence. Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention, 7, 211-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/14043850601002429
Snedker, A. K. (2011). Neighborhood Conditions and Fear of Crime: A Reconsideration of Sex Differences. Crime & Delinquency, 61, 1-26.
Stanko, E. A. (1992). The Case of Fearful Women: Gender, Personal Safety and Fear of Crime. Women and Criminal Justice, 4, 117-135. https://doi.org/10.1300/J012v04n01_06
Sutton, R. M., & Farrall, S. (2005). Gender, Socially Desirable Responding and the Fear of Crime: Are Women Really More Anxious about Crime? British Journal of Criminology, 45, 212-224. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azh084
Tulloch, M. (2000). The Meaning of Age Differences in the Fear of Crime. British Journal Criminol, 40, 451-467. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/40.3.451
Warr, M., & Ellison, C. G. (2000). Rethinking Social Reactions to Crime: Personal and Altrustic Fear in Family. American Journal of Sociology, 106, 551-578. https://doi.org/10.1086/318964
Wekerle, G. R., & Whitzman, C. (1995). Safe Cities: Guidelines for Planning, Design and Management (pp. 5-25). A Division of International Thomson Publishing.
Winkel, F. W. (1998). Fear of Crime and Criminal Victimization: Testing a Theory of Psychological Incapacitation of the “Stressor” Based on Downward Comparison Processes. British Journal of Criminology, 38, 473-484. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.bjc.a014258
Yenen, Z., Akin, O., & Yakar, H. (2000). Eyüp DonüGüm Sürecinde Sos-yal- Ekonomik-Mekansal Yapi, Eyüp Belediyesi Yayini, Istanbul. [Social-Economic-Spatial Structure in the Eyüp Transformation Process, Eyüp Municipality Publishing.]
Yilmaz, G. (2006). Türkiye’de suc ve sucluluk olgusunun kentlesme baglaminda irde-lenmesi (Yayimlanmamis Yüksek Lisans Tezi). [The Analysis of Crime and Guiltiness in the Context of Urbanization in Turkey (Unpublished Master Thesis).] Istanbul: Istanbul Teknik üniversitesi, Fen Bi-limleri Enstitüsü.