In Urban Neighborhoods, More Trees Equals Less Crime

Recent studies have been done in urban neighborhoods to show that crime levels are decreased in areas with more trees and more green space. This green space has been thought to work in both ways. In one way, it is seen that shrubs and trees can hide a criminal or even obstruct a clear view of the street. In another way, more trees and public areas deters crime, because there are always people around to witness.
A study done in Philadelphia recently showed that areas with more parks and green areas have significantly fewer crimes than areas without trees and greenery.
This type of research began in multiple areas back in 2005 and is still being conducted today. It is categorized by the type of crime taking place and combined with satellite pictures from NASA which can detect how much greenery is in the area using chlorophyll sensors.
When this was all matched up together, the researchers found that areas with more greenery had more safety. This also held true after density, poverty, and education were all taken into account.
They have proven that more green areas promote people to spend more time outdoors. Also, this mixes the population of older and younger people, which reduces crime. It is also shown that the presence of plants is therapeutic and helps in the reduction of crime.

Personally, I feel that there needs to be more studies done before a final conclusion can be obtained. I believe that the greenery might help in the reduction of crime, because there are more witnesses. I do not believe that the therapeutic nature of the greenery reduces crime. In my opinion, these findings can be controversial in the sense that many people living in cities will start to push towards having more parks and greenery. Also, if these findings prove to be somewhat true, more people will try to move from one place to another, making some living areas undesirable.

Article: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=517#.UXBb0LVvM-4