Neighborhood street activity and greenspace usage uniquely contribute to predicting crime

Abstract

Crime is a costly societal issue. While many factors influence urban crime, one less-studied but potentially important factor is neighborhood greenspace. Research has shown that greenspace is often negatively associated with crime. A sociological mechanism proposes that greenspaces increase social cohesion via local street activity, which in turn reduces crime, while a cognitive mechanism suggests that greenspaces decrease crime through increased attentional functioning and self-control, which increases vigilance against crime and reduces criminal behavior. Measuring the use of greenspace, as opposed to physical presence, may be critical to understanding why it reduces crime. Here, we use cell phone mobility data to quantify street activity and park visits in Chicago and New York City, finding that both factors negatively predict crime, controlling for socio-demographic factors. Each factor explains unique variance, suggesting multiple pathways for the influence of street activity and greenspace on crime, which was further supported by exploratory causal modeling.