Exploring the association between park size and crime

ABSTRACT

This study explored the link between park size and crime risk in Alabama, analyzing 564 parks across 73 cities with populations over 10,000. Park dimensions were measured using Google Earth Pro, and crime data, covering violent and property crimes, were sourced from Applied Geographic Solutions. Additional data on population density, mental health prevalence, social vulnerability, and alcohol expenditure (indicative of affluence) were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, CDC, and ESRI. A multiple regression analysis revealed a significant negative association between park size and crime risk, meaning that larger park sizes tended to have lower crime rates. Key covariates—mental health, social vulnerability, and alcohol spending— were also significantly related to crime rates. Our findings have policy implications for local governments and community organizations seeking to reduce crime rates.

KEYWORDS:

• Community/Neighborhood parks
• crime risk

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.