All Issue

2025 Vol.16, Issue 3 Preview Page

General Article

The role of green infrastructure in crime prevention: A systematic analysis of crime, social cohesion, and sustainable development using PRISMA
Kyle Hwang1
,
Bosik Son2*
1Independent Researcher, Seoul Innovation Research Institute, Seoul, South Korea
2Professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, Namseoul University, Cheonan, South Korea
*Corresponding Author
30 September 2025. pp. 416-430
PDF XML Citation
Abstract

This research systematically explores the interrelationships among urban green space design, crime prevention, and perceived safety to evaluate their collective contribution to sustainable urban development. Using a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review of 24 studies, the research identifies three thematic domains: (1) green space design and safety perceptions, (2) spatial planning and environmental crime prevention, and (3) green infrastructure and its social outcomes. The findings demonstrate that design features such as visibility, lighting, and vegetation management positively influence safety perceptions and reduce crime occurrence. Spatial planning strategies grounded in CPTED principles further support crime mitigation but often overlook socioeconomic contexts and long-term impacts. Additionally, while green infrastructure projects yield social and economic benefits, disparities in access and maintenance challenge their equitable implementation. Notably, the psychological and social mechanisms underlying safety and cohesion remain insufficiently explored. The research suggests for future research employing longitudinal designs, AI-based spatial analytics, and equity- driven frameworks to enhance the design, accessibility, and safety performance of urban green spaces.

Keywords
crime prevention
green space
prisma
sustainable development
systematic literature review
References
1

United Nations, World urbanization prospects: The 2018 revision. Department of Economic and Social Affairs [Online], 2018. Available at: https://population.un.org/wup/ [Accessed 29/05/2025].

2

J.R. Wolch, J. Byrne, and J.P. Newell, Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’. Landscape and Urban Planning. 125 (2014), pp. 234-244. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.01.017.

10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.01.017
3

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Crime in the United States Report [Online], 2021. Available at: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ucr [Accessed 29/05/2025].

4

Europol, EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA) [Online], 2021. Available at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/activities-services/main-reports/eu-serious-and-organised-crime-threat-assessment-socta [Accessed 29/05/2025].

10.1016/S1361-3723(21)00125-1
5

M.C. Kondo, S.H. Han, G.H. Donovan, and J.M. MacDonald, The association between urban trees and crime: Evidence from the spread of the emerald ash borer in Cincinnati. Landscape and Urban Planning. 157 (2017), pp. 193-199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.07.003.

10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.07.003
6

G.H. Donovan and J.P. Prestemon, The effect of trees on crime in Portland, Oregon. Environment and Behavior. 44(1) (2012), pp. 3-30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916510383238.

10.1177/0013916510383238
7

T. Hartig, R. Mitchell, S. de Vries, and H. Frumkin, Nature and health. Annual Review of Public Health. 35 (2014), pp. 207-228. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182443.

10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182443
8

E.R. Groff and E.S. McCord, The role of neighborhood parks as crime generators. Security Journal. 25(1) (2012), pp. 1-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/sj.2011.1.

10.1057/sj.2011.1
9

F.E. Kuo and W.C. Sullivan, Environment and crime in the inner city: Does vegetation reduce crime? Environment and Behavior. 33(3) (2001), pp. 343-367. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001391601219730256501333002.

10

M. Shepley, N. Sachs, H. Sadatsafavi, C. Fournier, and K. Peditto, The impact of green space on violent crime in urban environments: An evidence synthesis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 16(24) (2019), 5119. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16245119.

10.3390/ijerph16245119
11

C.C. Branas, E. South, M.C. Kondo, B.C. Hohl, P. Bourgois, D.J. Wiebe, and J.M. MacDonald, Citywide cluster randomized trial to restore blighted vacant land and its effects on violence, crime, and fear. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 115(12) (2018), pp. 2946-2951. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1718503115.

10.1073/pnas.1718503115
12

P.M. Cozens and T. Love, A review and current status of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Journal of Planning Literature. 30(4) (2015), pp. 393-412. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0885412215595440.

10.1177/0885412215595440
13

E.C. South, B.C. Hohl, M.C. Kondo, J.M. Mac Donald, and C.C. Branas, Effect of greening vacant land on mental health of community-dwelling adults. JAMA Network Open. 1(3) (2018), e180298. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0298.

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0298
14

J.H. Schweitzer, J. Kim, and J.R. Mackin, The impact of the built environment on crime and fear of crime in urban neighborhoods. Journal of Urban Technology. 6 (1999), pp. 59-73. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10630739983588.

10.1080/10630739983588
15

V. Jennings and O. Bamkole, The relationship between social cohesion and urban green space: An avenue for health promotion. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 16(3) (2019), pp. 452. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030452.

10.3390/ijerph16030452
16

A.V.D. Roux and C. Mair, Neighborhoods and health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1186(1) (2010), pp. 125-145. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05333.x.

10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05333.x
17

J. Smith and A. Doe, Application of topic modeling in construction engineering research. Journal of Civil Engineering. 58(4) (2022), pp. 123-135.

18

L. Johnson and R. Martinez, Implementing PRISMA for systematic reviews in civil engineering. Construction Management Review. 47(2) (2021), pp. 89-102.

19

D.H. Ly, Q.H. Le, T.D.H.N. Nguyen, Y. Ahn, K. Kim, and N. Kwon, Advancing modular construction through circular economy: Insights from semi-automated PRISMA analysis and topic modeling. Journal of Building Engineering. 98 (2024), 111232. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2024.111232.

10.1016/j.jobe.2024.111232
20

T. Williams, L. Garcia, and R. Thompson, Ensuring transparency and reproducibility in systematic reviews: The role of PRISMA in construction engineering. International Journal of Project Management. 38(6) (2020), pp. 345-360.

21

Y. Chen and X. Liu, Mitigating selection bias in systematic reviews: Strategies and applications in civil engineering. Construction Management Review. 45(3) (2019), pp. 150-165.

22

European Commission. (n.d.). The European Green Deal. European Commission [Online], 2024. Available at: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/story-von-der-leyen-commission/european-green-deal_en [Accessed 29/05/2025].

23

S. Maruthaveeran and C. Konijnendijk van den Bosch, Fear of crime in urban parks -What the residents of Kuala Lumpur have to say? Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 14(3) (2015), pp. 702-713. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2015.05.012.

10.1016/j.ufug.2015.05.012
24

T.C. Payne and D. Reinhard, The complexity of problem-solving in urban parks: A case study. International Criminal Justice Review. 26(2) (2016), pp. 134-149. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1057567716638903.

10.1177/1057567716638903
25

K.H. Evensen, G. Hemsett, and H. Nordh, Developing a place-sensitive tool for park-safety management: Experiences from green-space managers and female park users in Oslo. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 60 (2021), 127057. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127057.

10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127057
26

A. Hong, J.F. Sallis, A.C. King, T.L. Conway, B. Saelens, K.L. Cain, and L.D. Frank, Linking green space to neighborhood social capital in older adults: The role of perceived safety. Social Science & Medicine. 207 (2018), pp. 38-45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.04.051.

10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.04.051
27

J. Zhao and Y. Huang, Physical characteristics of urban green spaces in relation to perceived safety. Journal of Urban Planning and Development. 147(4) (2021), 05021032. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000742.

10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000742
28

Y.H. Min, G. Byun, and M. Ha, Young women’s site-specific fear of crime within urban public spaces in Seoul. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 21(3) (2022), pp. 1149- 1160. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2021.1941993.

10.1080/13467581.2021.1941993
29

R.K. McIntire, T. Halstead, D. Dajee, M. Buckley, K. McGregor, and S. Larson, Disparities in neighborhood park access among adults in Philadelphia. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 78 (2022), 127790. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127790.

10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127790
30

J.C. Wo, S.E. Malone, and E.M. Rogers, Examining the relationship between tree canopy coverage and crime: An examination of within- neighborhood change. Journal of Urban Affairs. (2024), pp. 1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2024.2311162.

10.1080/07352166.2024.2311162
31

J.E. Patino, J.C. Duque, J.E. Pardo-Pascual, and L.A. Ruiz, Using remote sensing to assess the relationship between crime and the urban layout. Applied Geography. 55 (2014), pp. 48-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.08.016.

10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.08.016
32

H. Yue, H. Xie, L. Liu, and J. Chen, Detecting people on the street and the streetscape physical environment from Baidu Street View images and their effects on community-level street crime in a Chinese city. ISPRS International Journal of Geo- Information. 11(3) (2022), 151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi11030151.

10.3390/ijgi11030151
33

Y. Wen, H. Qi, and T. Long, Quantitative analysis and design countermeasures of space crime prevention in old residential area quarters. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 23(6) (2024), pp. 2071-2090. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2023.2278462.

10.1080/13467581.2023.2278462
34

H. Lu, L. Liu, H. Zhong, and B. Jiang, A dose of nature to reduce sexual crimes in public outdoor spaces: Proposing the landscape-sexual crime model. Landscape and Urban Planning. 250 (2024), 105143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2024.105143.

10.1016/j.landurbplan.2024.105143
35

R. Wang, C.L. Cleland, R. Weir, S. McManus, A. Martire, G. Grekousis, D. Bryan, and R.F. Hunter, Rethinking the association between green space and crime using spatial quantile regression modelling: Do vegetation type, crime type, and crime rates matter? Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 101 (2024), 128523. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128523.

10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128523
36

R.B. Taylor, C.P. Haberman, and E.R. Groff, Urban park crime: Neighborhood context and park features. Journal of Criminal Justice. 64 (2019), 101622. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2019.101622.

10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2019.101622
37

T. Schusler, L. Weiss, D. Treering, and E. Balderama, Research note: Examining the association between tree canopy, parks, and crime in Chicago. Landscape and Urban Planning. 170 (2018), pp. 309- 313. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.07.012.

10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.07.012
38

D. Nutsford, A.L. Pearson, S. Kingham, and F. Reitsma, Residential exposure to visible blue space (but not green space) associated with lower psychological distress in a capital city. Health & Place. 39 (2016), pp. 70-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.03.002.

10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.03.002
39

J. Liu, S. Liu, X. Sun, Y. Meng, and Z. Yang, Passive green space exposure leading to lower aggression: The mediating role of sense of control. Aggressive Behavior. 50(3) (2024), e22158. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.22158.

10.1002/ab.22158
40

B. Yang, Assessing spatial disparities and spatial- temporal dynamics of urban green spaces: A case study of City of Chicago. Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography. 38(5) (2020), pp. 487-497. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7848/ksgpc.2020.38.5.487.

10.7848/ksgpc.2020.38.5.487
41

Z.S. Venter, C. Shackleton, A. Faull, L. Lancaster, G. Breetzke, and I. Edelstein, Is green space associated with reduced crime? A national-scale study from the Global South. Science of the Total Environment. 825 (2022), 154005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154005.

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154005
42

Y. El Gammal, M. Youssef, O.O. Abd El Moety, and K. El Mangoury, Two rooftop farming concepts for residential buildings shifting towards sustainable communities: An exercise on the case of “Asmarat” with necessary re-adaptation of its architectural rooftop design. Discover Sustainability. 5 (2024), 284. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00255-w.

10.1007/s43621-024-00255-w
43

A. Lotfata and M. Helbich, Spatial analysis of neighborhood vitality determinants on physical activity: A case study of Chicago. GeoJournal. 88(8) (2023), pp. 2187-2197. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-022-10748-8.

10.1007/s10708-022-10748-8
44

A.A. Ali, E.M.A. Zawawi, J. Yunus, and Q.J. Kwong, A systematic review for a highly accessible green roof for Malaysian public institution buildings. Journal of Facilities Management. 21(4) (2023), pp. 573-589. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JFM-10-2021-0122.

10.1108/JFM-10-2021-0122
45

U. Loret de Mola, B. Ladd, S. Duarte, N. Borchard, R. Anaya La Rosa, and B. Zutta, On the use of Hedonic price indices to understand ecosystem service provision from urban green space in five Latin American megacities. Forests. 8(12) (2017), 478. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/f8120478.

10.3390/f8120478
46

C. Demir and S.E. Ozcan, Do air quality and green space reduce propensity to crime?: An empirical investigation of OECD countries. Management of Environmental Quality. 34(2) (2023), pp. 351-367. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-08-2022-0235.

10.1108/MEQ-08-2022-0235
Information
  • Publisher :Sustainable Building Research Center (ERC) Innovative Durable Building and Infrastructure Research Center
  • Publisher(Ko) :건설구조물 내구성혁신 연구센터
  • Journal Title :International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development
  • Volume : 16
  • No :3
  • Pages :416-430
  • Received Date : 2025-06-09
  • Accepted Date : 2025-06-28
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.22712/susb.20250027
Journal Informaiton International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development
Online Submission
  • scopus
  • NRF
  • KOFST
  • KISTI Current Status
  • KISTI Cited-by
  • crosscheck
  • orcid
  • open access
  • ccl
  • isc
Journal Informaiton Journal Informaiton - close