Safety Perceptions and Micro-Segregation: Exploring Gated- and Non-Gated-Community Dynamics in Quetta, Pakistan

Crime impacts residential neighborhoods not only through the loss of life and property but also by instilling a widespread fear among residents. To combat this fear, physical security measures like safety locks, gates, and high perimeter walls have proven effective in both developed and developing n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inLand (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 6; p. 727
Main Authors Iqbal, Asifa, Shaukat, Tahira, Nazir, Humaira
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.06.2024
Subjects
Community policing
Comparative analysis
Crime
Developing countries
Distribution
Dwellings
Fear
Fear of crime
gated communities
Housing
LDCs
Locks
Neighborhoods
non-gated residential housing
Observations
Pakistan
Perceptions
Quetta
Residential areas
residential neighborhoods
Safety
Segregation
Social aspects
Socioeconomic factors
Socioeconomics
Surveys
Victimization
Pakistan
Quetta Pakistan
Quetta
Pakistan
residential neighborhoods
gated communities
non-gated residential housing
fear of crime
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Summary:Crime impacts residential neighborhoods not only through the loss of life and property but also by instilling a widespread fear among residents. To combat this fear, physical security measures like safety locks, gates, and high perimeter walls have proven effective in both developed and developing nations. This trend has led to the increased popularity of gated communities in Pakistan as a preferred housing choice. In addition to encouraging micro-segregation, these developments also attract a large number of residents. In order to better understand the differences in residents’ fear of crime in relation to their health and socio-economic status, this paper compares residential housing schemes in Quetta, Pakistan (gated and non-gated). Surveys and on-site observations in four different residential areas of the city underpin the methodology. The results suggest that past experiences of crime victimization strongly affect feelings of safety in both gated and non-gated communities. The study highlights the complex relationship between the perception of safety, health and well-being, socio-economic status, and the type of community, highlighting how these factors collectively influence respondents’ experiences and create micro-segregation.
ISSN:2073-445X
2073-445X
DOI:10.3390/land13060727