The Role of Spatial Relations in Influencing Crime in Public Open Spaces of Settlements around Juja Town

Abstract

The study focuses on the urban spatial relations influence crime along the public open spaces in Juja town, Kenya. Axial analysis component of space syntax method has been adapted to establish integration and connectivity measures of public open spaces in Juja town. While observation method established the land-use, surveillance levels, build-up densities and physical traces of urban crime. Results show that Juja town has poor connectivity with the highest connectivity rate being 40 m/street connection and the lowest being 125 m/connection. Correspondingly, global integration levels sampled street segments in Juja town is moderate 1.306521 to low of 0.915067. Notably, the street segments with low connectivity and characterised by high number of cul-de-sacs, high obstacles and closed gates frequencies resulted in high positive correlations with both reported crime and observed traces of crime. However, land-use typologies (residential, commercial, and idle) correlated positively with crime occurrence in Juja town where suitable targets are present with either poor guardianship or possible escape routes for the offenders. The research findings indicate that poor connectivity and choice measures predispose Juja town to increased crime together with poor street luminance levels that prevent inter-visibility of public open spaces especially in the evening and morning hours of the day. On the other hand, entrances/gates denoting the presence of door-to-door surveillance across the street reduce crime prevalence. The study also found that presence of idle land use patterns along public open spaces discourages people from using the street segments hence robing the street segments from street guardianship resulting in increased crime incidences.