Relationship between Natural Surveillance and Fear of Crime among Students: The Case of a Kenyan University

The increasing crime rates among university students in Kenya have raised significant concerns. To address this issue, this study investigates the potential of natural surveillance to alleviate the fear of crime among students at the Institute of Tourism, Hospitality, and Management (IToHM) within the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology. Drawing upon Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Theory, the study employs a descriptive research design to explore the connection between natural surveillance and fear of crime. The study encompasses a target population of 200 IToHM students across different academic levels: 16 Diploma students, 44 First Year Bachelor’s students, 19 Second Year, 36 Third Year, and 23 Fourth Year Bachelor’s students. Using Yamane’s (1967) formula, a sample size of 147 students was determined. Data collection was facilitated through a questionnaire, whose construct validity was confirmed through pilot testing. Measurement instrument validation was accomplished using Cronbach’s alpha (1951) correlation coefficient, which yielded robust reliability coefficients of 0.701 for natural surveillance, 0.849 for fear of crime, and 0.868 for the frequency of fear of crime. The study’s analytical approach involved both descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was employed to gauge the relationship between natural surveillance and students’ fear of crime within their residential contexts. The study’s results revealed a significant negative correlation (r = -0.514, p = 0.000) between natural surveillance and the fear of crime experienced by IToHM students at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology. This finding underscores the effectiveness of various natural surveillance strategies implemented by university management in reducing students’ fear of crime. Based on these findings, it is recommended that university administrators allocate resources proactively to areas with heightened crime concerns and adopt comprehensive natural surveillance protocols. This study contributes a valuable perspective to discussions on crime prevention within university campuses, highlighting the pivotal role of environmental design strategies in creating secure and conducive learning environments.