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Is Green Space in the Living Environment Associated with People's Feelings of Social Safety?

Author

Listed:
  • Jolanda Maas
  • Peter Spreeuwenberg
  • Marijke van Winsum-Westra

    (ALTERRA, Green World Research, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Robert A Verheij

    (NIVEL, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, PO Box 1568, 3500 BN Utrecht, The Netherlands)

  • Sjerp Vries

    (ALTERRA, Green World Research, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • Peter P Groenewegen

    (NIVEL, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, PO Box 1568, 3500 BN Utrecht, The Netherlands)

Abstract

The authors investigate whether the percentage of green space in people's living environment affects their feelings of social safety positively or negatively. More specifically they investigate the extent to which this relationship varies between urban and rural areas, between groups in the community that can be identified as more or less vulnerable, and the extent to which different types of green space exert different influences. The study includes 83 736 Dutch citizens who were interviewed about their feelings of social safety. The percentage of green space in the living environment of each respondent was calculated, and data analysed by use of a three-level latent variable model, controlled for individual and environmental background characteristics. The analyses suggest that more green space in people's living environment is associated with enhanced feelings of social safety—except in very strongly urban areas, where enclosed green spaces are associated with reduced feelings of social safety. Contrary to the common image of green space as a dangerous hiding place for criminal activity which causes feelings of insecurity, the results suggest that green space generally enhances feelings of social safety. The results also suggest, however, that green space in the most urban areas is a matter of concern with respect to social safety.

Suggested Citation

  • Jolanda Maas & Peter Spreeuwenberg & Marijke van Winsum-Westra & Robert A Verheij & Sjerp Vries & Peter P Groenewegen, 2009. "Is Green Space in the Living Environment Associated with People's Feelings of Social Safety?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(7), pages 1763-1777, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:41:y:2009:i:7:p:1763-1777
    DOI: 10.1068/a4196
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    Cited by:

    1. Foster, Sarah & Hooper, Paula & Knuiman, Matthew & Bull, Fiona & Giles-Corti, Billie, 2016. "Are liveable neighbourhoods safer neighbourhoods? Testing the rhetoric on new urbanism and safety from crime in Perth, Western Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 150-157.
    2. Hongwei Dong, 2017. "Does walkability undermine neighbourhood safety?," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 59-75, January.
    3. Taylor, Ralph B. & Haberman, Cory P. & Groff, Elizabeth R., 2019. "Urban park crime: Neighborhood context and park features," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Aleksandra Lis & Łukasz Pardela & Wu Can & Anna Katlapa & Łukasz Rąbalski, 2019. "Perceived Danger and Landscape Preferences of Walking Paths with Trees and Shrubs by Women," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-22, August.

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