This article review was published in the 1st issue of Orman ve Av Magazine in 2011; available by citing the source.
In the near future, scientists may add “crime reduction” to their list of the benefits of urban trees.
According to an article published in November (2010) by the US Pacific Northwest (PNW) and Southern Research units, urban trees can be effective in reducing crime rates against life and property.
The study examined the effects of trees and other elements on crimes committed in Portland, USA. The criminal records of the region between 2005 and 2007, obtained from the security unit, are divided into 7 classes. Among these, only crimes with specific addresses were handled and matched with aerial photographs of these addresses. 394 crimes against property and 37 crimes against life were committed among a total of 2,813 houses that constitute the sample of the researchers.
In the study, it was tried to find the crime relationship with almost thirty variables, including the area where the crime was committed and the number and size of the trees in its immediate vicinity, by means of statistical analysis. The variables that were found to be most associated with crimes were the crown sizes of the trees in the pavement and gardens and the number of trees in the crime area. It has been observed that there is a correlation between the large trees in the crime area and the decrease in the number of crimes, whereas there is a correlation between the small and many trees and the increase in the crime rate.
According to the authors' interpretation, large trees create an unsafe environment for potential criminals, as they both provide less shielding and create the impression that the neighborhood is better cared for/protected.
REFERENCE
Troy, A., Grove, M., O'Neil-Dunne, J. 2012. The relationship between tree canopy and crime rates across an urban-rural gradient in the great Baltimore region. Landscape and Urban Planning 106(106):262-270.
USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. "Some city trees may discourage 'shady' behavior; Study explores relationship between urban trees and crime." ScienceDaily 2 November 2010.
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