Urban Crime and Security

Abstract

Scientists have an enduring interest in understanding urban crime and developing security strategies for mitigating this problem. This chapter reviews the progress made in this topic from historic criminology to data-driven policing. It first reviews the broad implications of urban security and its implementation in practice. Next, it focuses on the tools to prevent urban crime and improve security, from analytical crime hotspot mapping to police resource allocation. Finally, a manifesto of data-driven policing is proposed, with its practical demand for efficient security strategies and the development of big data technologies. It emphasizes that data-driven strategies could be applied in cities due to their promising effectiveness for crime prevention and security improvement.