The geography of crime in four U.S. cities: Perceptions and reality

Crime actually is up in central city business districts in US cities, widespread fear of crime—driven in no small part by relentless media coverage—certainly is. This is forcing urban leaders to simultaneously confront rising public safety concerns while grappling with the numerous economic, social, and civic aftershocks of an enormously disruptive three years. Unfortunately, many of these aftershocks—such as emptier streets and vacant storefronts—are the very same issues that negatively impact perceptions of safety in the first place.

As local leaders seek to rebuild safe and vibrant downtowns, they must do so without letting the perceptions and politics of crime drive policy and practice.

This research brief aims to equip leaders with the evidence to do just that by:

1) presenting findings from nearly 100 interviews in four large U.S. cities (New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Philadelphia) on perceptions of crime;
2) providing spatial analysis of the geography of crime within these four cities; and
3) offering place-specific, forward-looking policy and practice solutions to chart a future in which all residents can feel—and actually be—safe regardless of where they live and work.

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