Perception of (in)security and risks

Perception of (in)security and risks depends on general psychological mechanisms but also on cultural and social factors. Risk is never an objective figure but always "negotiated" or "constructed" within society, based on cultural backgrounds.

Relevance for security-related urban planning
Only focusing on objective risk reduction is not enough in security-related urban planning. Risk information and design features of urban infrastructure influence citizens’ perception of the risk that infrastructure is at: "the perception of insecurity in cities depends largely upon the substantial amount and constant flow of information that urban residents receive from many sources." Appropriate risk communication that accompanies urban planning can help reduce the gap between perceived/felt and factual risk/security. Moreover, perception of security and risks is often gender-dependent, that leads to different urban protection needs. Understanding the various situations and individual needs should inform all aspects of urban planning and management.

Approaches how to address it

 * Base security design and measures on citizens’ perception of insecurity, feeling of vulnerability and acceptance of technological solutions for security problems;
 * Inform citizens on risks of urban spaces/places before and after planning implementations;
 * Inform citizens on specific structural, design and material choices (see: designing in and designing out);
 * Involve citizens in planning decisions and processes to consider their views and requests - use citizen participation methods, in particular local open dialogue methods and participatory diagnosis;
 * Consider gender and group specific risk views and security associations;
 * Adapt planning decisions according to citizens views and adopt specific requests;
 * Compensate gaps in risk perception vs. factual risks by adequate risk communication;
 * Planning tools aiming at increasing urban resilience should be sensitive to the social context to which they are applied.

Related subjects

 * Risk communication
 * Security culture
 * Culture aspects