Examining fear of crime and perceived safety in urban parks in Hong Kong

Abstract

Parks, considered as a type of urban green space (UGS), have become an important focus of new environmental strategies for cities. Some elements of the park design and management, however, may be perceived as undesirable to discourage visit and depress the quality of recreational experience. Some negative concerns may have stronger impacts on certain segments of the population, thus degrading the social inclusiveness of the communal spaces. The fear of crime, and the basic human instinct to guard against or avoid it, is of paramount importance in making visit decisions. It is necessary to study whether fear of crime is perceived as a hindrance for citizens to access urban parks, examine the factors that evoke such fear, and explore ways to alleviate the negative emotion. The main research purpose of this study is to examine fear of crime and perceived safety in urban parks in Hong Kong. Eight urban parks in Hong Kong of different size and design were selected as study sites. A triangulation approach was applied, with the data was obtained through a standardized and structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The main findings are presented in three main chapters to glean three sets of inputs that may inform urban-park design and to achieve a sustainable planning, design and management of existing and new urban parks. The first main chapter (CHAPTER 4) analyzes the socio-demographic characteristics of urban-park users and their visit-related behaviors and preferences to inform urban-park planning and management in Hong Kong. The second main chapter (CHAPTER 5) investigates the factors that contribute to perception of personal safety and fear of crime. The third main chapter (CHAPTER 6) tackles concerns of crime in relation to landscape design and management. In comparison with Western European and some Asian cities, research on fear of crime in urban parks in Hong Kong remains relatively unexplored. The study has the potential to provide a new and comprehensive understanding of fear of crime in urban green space management which facilitates sustainable planning, design and management of urban green space in Hong Kong. The first main chapter formulates a socially-relevant and community-sensitive planning strategy to improve the design and management of existing and new parks. The second main chapter investigates three groups of fear-evoking factors. The third main chapter reviews the role of park design and management in mitigating the safety and crime concerns. As Hong Kong is an international metropolis, a thorough understanding of the subject will expand the research knowledge base of fear of crime in a cross-cultural context and enhance its knowledge hub. From a practical perspective, the knowledge may help urban park stakeholders to be more aware of establishing long-term attainable goals to match residents’ expectations and create parks that are safe and perceived as safer and less fear-provoking by local residents. Understanding residents’ tribulations and considering their expectations could put the concept of social inclusiveness into practice and lay the foundation for a more successful urban green infrastructure that can better cater to citizens’ needs and expectations.