Residents’ perception of safety impacts their health and
well-being by influencing their level of engagement in physical
and social activities. Residents who don’t feel safe in
their communities are less likely to be involved, increasing
their risk of isolation, obesity, diabetes, and high blood
pressure.
Local agencies can help by supporting neighborhood design
features that reduce the risk of injuries and support crime
prevention. For example, better-lit areas decrease the
likelihood of theft and violence and increase the feeling of
safety and security. If designed appropriately, increasing
neighborhood density provides more people supervising public
space. Local agencies can also enforce local codes to clean
up vacant lots, contaminated or polluted sites and reduce
graffiti.
