Crime Prevention in Residential Settlements or New Sustainable Communities-Cities

Abstract

Sustainable communities need to be implemented economically, socially and environmentally to respect the needs of future settlement patterns. They are also defined as well-designed places where people feel safe, where crime or feelings of insecurity does not undermine quality of life. Safety and security are essential for creating successful sustainable communities and settlement patterns as these places are not only well-designed environments to live in, but also places where freedom from crime and fear of crime, improve the quality of life. In other words, sustainable communities embody the principles of sustainable development, such as; meeting the needs of existing and future generations as well as integrating the social, economic and environmental components of their community. In that case, planning and design of the built environment has a great effect on safety of public spaces and perceived safety of their users. Now there is also a change and shift of zoning paradigms for cities and residential settlement patterns from socially and economically heterogeneous at least interactive open districts and metropolitan bound city blocks, to closed system of more homogeneous societies under different names of gated community residences, and or satellite towns/cities. Although sustainable communities improve people's quality of life by providing safe and healthy environment to live and work in, it also encourages (a sense of place' with well-designed and well-used public spaces. Unfortunately, too little attention has been paid by planners and designers to crime issues so far in Turkey. To fill this vital gap, a survey has been conducted to analyze how safety issues are important for the Community members and what can be done to improve safety issues in new urban settlements to create sustainable cities and communities. In this particular study, the results of the questionnaire are discussed and recommendations have been made for creating safer and sustainable new settlements and communities for existing and future generations.Community members and what can be done to improve safety issues in new urban settlements to create sustainable cities and communities. In this particular study, the results of the questionnaire are discussed and recommendations have been made for creating safer and sustainable new settlements and communities for existing and future generations. Copyright©2014 IAHS.