News Release

Vacant land and crime in urban areas

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

A study explores the effect of restoring vacant land on crime, violence, and the perception of safety in an urban area. Vacant land comprises about 15% of the land in US cities and has been associated with criminal activity. Urban residents, especially those in low-income neighborhoods, often view vacant land as a threat to personal health and safety. Charles Branas and colleagues examined the relationship between restoration of vacant land plots and crime in Philadelphia. The study included 541 randomly selected vacant lots that were randomly assigned as restoration or control sites. Restoration of the vacant land plots took place in April and May 2013, and the study included crime data from 18 months before and after restoration was completed. Crime data were gathered from police reports and 445 randomly sampled residents living near the land plots. Following restoration of the lots, the authors found that residents who lived near restored land plots had a significantly reduced perception of crime and vandalism as well as an increased feeling of safety and use of outside spaces for relaxing and socializing. Police reports reflected the residents' perceptions, and revealed significant reductions in overall crime tied to the interventions. According to the authors, restoration of vacant land might help deter crime and violence in cities.

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Article #17-18503: "Citywide cluster randomized trial to restore blighted vacant land and its effects on violence, crime, and fear," by Charles C. Branas et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Berger, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY; tel: 212-305-4372; e-mail: sb2247@cumc.columbia.edu


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