Territorial Attitudes and Victimisation: A tale of two neighbourhoods

Abstract

One popular use of design strategies for crime prevention is territorial functioning. This study examines the relationship between territorial functioning and victimisation in two neighbourhoods with different crime rates. The quantitative-based method using a questionnaire survey was employed in this study. The survey covered residents' victimisation rates and territorial attitudes as a dimension of territorial functioning. A sample of 206 inhabitants from two neighbourhoods in the UK took part in the study. Through a hierarchical regression analysis, the study revealed that a high victimisation rate was associated with low territorial attitudes. People who perceived more territorial attitudes were less likely to be victimised than their opposite counterparts irrespective of the neighbourhood context.