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In one of our recent articles, we discussed the effect of tree canopy on crime rates and found that with more trees, there was lesser crime.  But what about parks as a whole?  Are parks associated with lower crime rates? 

Historically, the data is mixed and often confusing given the limitations of the studies that looked at this issue.  For instance, one 2012 study of parks in Philadelphia found that crime is concentrated near neighborhood parks as compared to the density of crime in Philadelphia as a whole. Another study out of Philadelphia in 2019 looked at different land uses and crime and reached a seemingly contrary conclusion. That study found that parks are actually associated with lower crime rates in Philadelphia. While these studies were different in many ways, the conclusions reached certainly appear contradictory. Beyond these two studies out of Philadelphia, other park and crime related literature reach differing conclusions as well.

Realizing the sometimes conflicting conclusions in studies involving parks, green space and crime, a 2019 review of the literature brought some clarity to this issue. In that review, the authors analyzed forty-five different studies that addressed green space, parks and crime in the United States and found that as a whole these studies conclude “the presence of parks and other green space reduces urban crime.” Although this literature review does not reach any conclusions as to why parks reduce crime, it does show a correlation between parks and lower crime rates in an urban environment. While further research is needed to determine how and why parks are associated with lower crime rates, the conclusion reached by this literature review is important to urban planners and politicians who are attempting to determine how to best invest assets to reduce crime in their cities.

To answer the question posed at the beginning of this article – the answer is yes – parks are associated with lower crime rates. For those cities, like Baltimore, with historically high crime rates, investment in parks as a crime reduction strategy has merit. Parks as crime reducers only adds to the evidence that parks can have positive benefits to urban residents.

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