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Abstract

Urban parks present difficult environments in which to analyze crime and disorder problems. We describe data collection and analysis of a limited evaluation of an intervention meant to reduce crime and disorder in an urban park through increasing park use. The case study uses an urban park in the municipality of Anchorage, AK. The research method took into account differing activity spaces within the small (one-city block) park by dividing the park into a dozen distinct zones based on the built environment and how people used the space. Consistent with prior research, we found that increasing park usage decreased crime and disorder and that disorder was associated with a lack of natural surveillance. Moreover, research shows urban parks are frequently the site used by many groups—parks are contested space.

Keywords

problem-solving crime and disorder green spaces contested spaces

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The Complexity of Problem-Solving in Urban Parks

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