Effects of signals of disorder on fear of crime in real and virtual environments

Despite the fact that virtual environments are increasingly deployed to study the relation between urban planning, physical and social disorder, and fear of crime, their ecological validity for this type of research has not been established. This study compares the effects of similar signs of public disorder (litter, warning signs, cameras, signs of vandalism and car burglary) in an urban neighborhood and in its virtual counterpart on the subjective perception of safety and livability of the neighborhood. Participants made a walking tour through either the real or the virtual neighborhood, which was either in an orderly (baseline) state or adorned with numerous signs of public disorder. During their tour they reported the signs of disorder they noticed and the degree to which each of these affected their emotional state and feelings of personal safety. After finishing their tour they appraised the perceived safety and livability of the environment. Both in the real and in the simulated urban neighborhood, signs of disorder evoked associations with social disorder. In all conditions, neglected greenery was spontaneously reported as a sign of disorder. Disorder did not inspire concern for personal safety in reality and in the virtual environment with a realistic soundscape. However, in the absence of sound disorder compromised perceived personal safety in the virtual environment. Signs of disorder were associated with negative emotions more frequently in the virtual environment than in its real-world counterpart, particularly in the absence of sound. Also, signs of disorder degraded the perceived livability of the virtual, but not of the real neighborhood. Hence, it appears that people focus more on details in a virtual environment than in reality. We conclude that both a correction for this focusing effect and realistic soundscapes are required to make virtual environments an appropriate medium for both etiological (e.g. the effects of signs of disorder on fear of crime) and intervention (e.g. CPTED) research.     

Outbound offending: The journey to crime and crime sprees

Studies on crime and mobility primarily focus on local crime patterns. The city has long played an important role, whether analysing the offence or the offender. This paper goes beyond city boundaries and discusses ‘outbound offenders’, whose crime trips start in a city, but end outside. It is argued that a substantial proportion of crime trips follow this pattern, indicating that areas other than cities also provide interesting opportunities for property crime. We link outbound offending to a number of features that may explain crime travelling, including the target’s features and offender/offence features. We find that outbound offending mostly occurs towards affluent target regions and near motorways, as such confirming findings from previous research. We also find crime sprees to be indicative for mobile offending. Thus, mobile property offenders tend to compensate for travelled distances, not only by targeting affluent areas and using fast transportation means, but also by committing several successive offences, hereby reducing their relative transportation cost for each offence.     

Perceived safety from crime in the urban environment

Two studies were conducted to test various aspects of Appleton's Prospect-Refuge Theory. Hypotheses derived from the theory predicted that observers would rate how safe from crime they would feel in specific urban environments on the basis of whether the environments offered visibility (light), prospect (open spaces) and unambiguous refuge (a place where a criminal would not see the intended victim, or where other, non-threatening people were likely to to be present). It was further hypothesized that women in general would feel less safe from crime than men. In Study 1, University students generated lists of environmental features relevant to safety. Light was the most frequently mentioned factor, followed by open space and unambiguous refuge. In Study 2, slides were presented in which these three characteristics were independently varied. The results supported all of the hypotheses.     

What makes neighborhood different from home and city? Effects of place scale on place attachment

Several years ago Hidalgo and Hernandez reported a curvilinear, U-shaped, relationship between scale of place (apartment, neighborhood, city) and strength of attachment to the place. In this paper four studies are presented, carried out in four Central-European cities, that (1) confirmed the reported curvilinear relationship using five places (apartment, building, neighborhood, city district, city) in three out of four cities and for five items of the Place Attachment Scale, (2) revealed a consistent curvilinear, inverse U-shaped relationship between scale of place and percentage of variance of place attachment predicted by three groups of factors: physical (type of housing, size of building, upkeep and personalization of house precincts, etc.), social (neighborhood ties and sense of security in the residence place), and socio-demographic (age, education, gender, length of residence, family size), and (3) identified strength of direct and indirect effects of the three groups of predictors on attachment to the five types of places. The curvilinear relationship between place scale and place attachment was particularly strong in highly attractive cities and in those scale items that described people's emotional reactions to places whereas a linear relationship was obtained in the least attractive city and in the items that referred to sense of security, amount of control and knowledge of place. In all four cities the best predicted variable was attachment to middle ranges of the place scale (building and neighborhood). The overall best direct predictor of place attachment was neighborhood ties, followed by direct and indirect effects of length of residence, building size, and type of housing. In conclusion it is argued that the usual choice of predictors of place attachment is biased by researchers' interest in the middle scales of place (neighborhood) at the expense of other place scales. In the paper a claim is made that attachments to smaller (apartments, homes) and larger (city) scales of place along with their unique predictors deserve more attention from environmental psychologists.     

The relationship between daylight and happiness for women in residential districts of Isfahan,Iran

This study explores the relationship between daylight exposure in urban residential units and the mood/happiness of nonworking female residents (housewives) in Isfahan, Iran. A growing body of evidence points to the physiological and psychological benefits of daylight, yet few studies have focused on the relationship between residential daylight and women's mental health. A cross‐sectional study was conducted using two‐stage random cluster sampling of nonworking female occupants of buildings in four residential districts. Mood/happiness was determined using the Oxford Happiness Inventory and the Fordyce Happiness Inventory. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the variables. A significant relationship was found between residents’ happiness and the amount of daylight in their residential units (Oxford Inventory, r = 0.68, P < 0.05; Fordyce Inventory, r = 0.53, P < 0.05). The findings suggest that features of physical residential environments, such as daylight, may be linked to the happiness of housewives. Persons belonging to various demographic groups who spend the majority of their time indoors (e.g., housewives, children, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities) are most dependent on architecture and environmental design for their well‐being, and therefore, are most affected by design decisions.     

The channels of the effect of government expenditure on the environment: evidence using dynamic panel data

This paper explores the relationship between government spending and environmental quality using panel data for 94 countries for the period 1970–2008. We identify and estimate three distinct channels that comprise the total direct effect of government expenditure on air pollution, namely a marginal effect, an effect conditional on economic growth and an effect conditional on institutional quality. Since adjustment rate of emissions to their equilibrium level is slow due to technological and institutional reasons, we explicitly take into account dynamics by applying appropriate econometric methods. The results demonstrate that there is a significant alleviating direct effect of government expenditure on SO₂ and NO_x emissions, which increases with the level of economic growth and democracy. However, there is no evidence of a significant effect on pollutants with more global impact on the environment and human health, like N₂O and CO₂, implying that the adoption of international environmental treaties is required in this case.     

Governing sustainable cities

Boston's Chinatown is an urban community surrounded by businesses, a university, a large medical centre, and an area zoned for “adult entertainment” called the Combat Zone. The overall goal of this exploratory study was to examine the temporal and geographic distribution of street crime in Boston's Chinatown using police crime reports from the years 1988 to 2004. Crime patterns were most notably associated with the presence of the adult entertainment area, known as the Combat Zone. However, despite the decline of adult businesses over the study period, we saw small limited reduction in property and violent crimes, suggesting that the decline of these businesses did not lead to large-scale short-term (<5 years) reductions in crime.     

生态环境对我国居民幸福感的影响机制与实证研究

深入揭示生态环境与居民幸福感的内在关系对创造人民美好生活具有重要的理论与现实意义。本研究基于幸福感产生机制对生态环境影响居民幸福感的机制进行了深入的理论探讨,利用2013-2014年我国居民大样本调查数据,定量分析了水、大气,绿化三个关键生态环境要素对我国居民幸福感的影响。研究认为,生态环境对居民幸福感的影响受制于经济发展与居民收入水平及居民对环境价值的认知与重视程度;尽管研究期居民对生态环境质量满意度不高,但生态环境对我国居民幸福感的并没造成显著影响;比较而言,水环境对居民幸福感的影响小于空气环境,而空气环境的影响又小于绿化环境。为提升我国居民生态幸福感并激励居民亲环境行为,应通过科普教育切实提高居民对环境及其价值的认知度,努力营建人地和谐的文化氛围;应在普遍提高居民收入和物质生活水平的基础上,引导和促进居民向环境审美消费需求的升级;当前应重视生态补偿等经济手段的运用,通过影响居民经济利益激发居民环保行为;应优先解决居民直观感知明显且反映强烈的环境问题。     

中国沿海城市化推进对海洋污染的影响及作用机制——基于面板空间计量方法

探究沿海城市化推进与海洋污染间的关系对沿海城市绿色发展具有重要意义。本文基于2006—2013年中国沿海46个地级市的海洋污染物浓度数据和遥感所得的夜间灯光亮度数据，运用面板空间计量技术从深度推进和广度推进两方面系统考察了沿海城市化对海洋污染的影响及作用机制，结果表明：以紧凑集约为特征的城市化深度推进与海洋污染之间存在着非线性的“U形”关系，而以规模扩张为特征的城市化广度推进只会单纯地加剧海洋污染。城市化深度推进会通过集聚效应和技术进步效应对海洋污染产生积极影响，而城市化广度推进过程中所带来的人口规模的扩大会加剧海洋污染，此外产业结构和绿色技术未能转型升级也是城市扩张加剧海洋污染的关键因素所在。本研究提出在海洋环境管理过程中，一是要加强区域合作，实现海洋污染的区域联防联控；二是应注重城市的紧凑集约化发展，发挥沿海城市化推进对海洋污染防治的正外部性影响；三是需推进海洋经济的绿色可持续发展，实现海洋经济发展与海洋环境污染的脱钩。     

How you start matters: A comparison of Gold Fields' Tarkwa and Damang Mines and their divergent relationships with local small-scale miners in Ghana

This paper argues that actions of large-scale mining companies at the early stages of a mining project establish a legacy which sets the tone for that mine's long-term relationship with the local artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) stakeholders. This paper compares the experiences of Gold Fields' Tarkwa and Damang mines and the divergent histories of each of these mines' relationship with local small-scale mining stakeholders. Circumstances at Damang during the discovery and early development of the project drove a rift between the mine and the ASM community. As the mine developed, a chain of ASM engagement strategies were enacted in an attempted to repair the relationship but which has never able to regain sufficient trust between the mine and ASM stakeholders. At the nearby Tarkwa mine, ASM confrontations have been much easier to manage. Despite early disagreements at Tarkwa, a relationship characterized by greater trust between the mine and ASM communities was established early and therefore ASM engagement strategies have been simpler and more effective. This paper will conclude that establishing and maintaining a positive mine legacy as early as the exploration phase of a mining project is critical to maintaining a positive, trust-based relationship between LSM companies and their local ASM stakeholders over the life of a mine.     

农村人居环境整治中的女性参与：实践形式与组织机制

如何有效激活农民主体性,激发人居环境整治中的群众参与是实现农村环境善治的重要议题。村庄调研发现,在当前国家资源向村庄密集输入的情况下,自上而下的单一环境供给方式既浪费资源,又难以满足居民诉求。动员村庄女性群体组织化参与是农村人居环境整治自下而上的群众动员和需求整合的有效方式。一方面,女性群体因其身份在村、关系在村,市场参与不足,成为村庄环境整治的潜在力量,与环境治理事务具有耦合性。另一方面,组织化参与为女性社会性身份的展演提供长效机制,利益吸纳成为激发女性参与的直接诱因。女性群体参与人居整治实践机制反映的是以农民为主体的农村环境治理需要抓住核心力量,对积极分子进行识别、激活和组织。     

环境规制对城市生态技术扩散效率的影响研究

生态技术扩散是长江经济带生态文明建设的必要环节，也是企业履行环保责任的有效措施。本文以长江经济带110个地级及以上城市为研究对象，采用非径向方向距离函数对城市工业企业生态技术扩散效率进行测算，分别从整体和区域异质性角度实证分析环境规制对城市工业企业生态技术扩散效率的影响及内在机理。结果表明：长江经济带城市环境规制与生态技术扩散效率存在倒“ U”形关系，环境规制对生态技术扩散效率还存在多重影响路径，外商直接投资和工业集聚在影响路径中分别起着中介作用，且外商直接投资和工业集聚的链式中介显著。在异质性分析中，发现环境规制、外商直接投资、工业集聚和生态技术扩散效率之间的关系因区域位置不同而存在差异性。为此，依据研究结论及环境规制实施现状提出相应的政策建议，实现长江经济带经济永续绿色发展目标。     

“Perceived neighbourhood” and tolerance relations: the case of Arabs and Jews in Jaffa,Israel

This paper examines the complex social reality of mixed ethnic residential areas, as reflected in drawn perceived neighbourhoods of Jews and Arabs living in homogenous and mixed neighbourhoods in Jaffa, Tel Aviv. Through in-depth interviews conducted among 89 Jaffa's residents, it illustrates how different perceptions about the residential area and its residents (including attitudes, emotions, feeling of fear/safety, collective identity and tolerant relations) are reflected in the form, size and consensus area of residents' perceived neighbourhoods. The study finds a clear association between tolerant attitudes and the size and consensus area of the perceived neighbourhoods. Arabs perceive their neighbourhood as significantly larger than Jews do and are characterised by a larger consensus area. These findings are explained by the Arab's strong social cohesion, common national identity, rootedness in Jaffa, as well as by tolerant attitudes towards Jaffa's Jewish population. The study demonstrates the interrelation between the spatial, social and perceptual dimensions associated with the mixed residential area, and illustrates how these dimensions are reflected in drawn perceived neighbourhoods.     

AN ASSESSMENT OF WATER UTILITY INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEIR USE OF COMPUTERS1

To provide an overview of water utility information systems and the extent of computer use, a direct mail survey of all water utilities serving populations of 2,000 or more in the tri-state area - Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky - was conducted. The following was determined: 1) utility profile information, e.g., public/private ownership, age, number of accounts, etc.; 2) an assessment of the degree of computerization presently in place to perform various functions; and 3) an assessment of any plans that the utilities may have for future computerization. To analyze the data, an index of computerization was defined as the number of departments or major activity areas of each utility that presently have some computerization. The relationship between the degree of computerization (measured by this index) and a utility's profile in terms of population served, annual revenue generated, and the number of customer accounts is discussed for each state in the survey. Discriminant analysis revealed strong significant differences between utilities that plan to use computers and those that do not. The differences were identified by the authors. Survey results revealed a rather limited use of computers in the tri-state area. Enormous potential exists in small and medium sized utilities for computerization to improve operational efficiency.     

Intrinsic Value and Direct Duties: From Animal Ethics towards Environmental Ethics?

Three types of concern for animal welfare are widelyheld: Animals should feel well, they should function well, andthey should lead natural lives. The paper deals with a well-knownanswer to the question of why such concerns are morallyappropriate: Human beings have direct duties towards animals,because animals are beings that can flourish, the flourishing ofanimals is intrinsically or inherently valuable, and that whichis conducive to their flourishing is a legitimate object of moralconcern. Looking for a tenable conception of direct dutiestowards animals, the following questions are discussed: Whatshould we take it to mean that ``animal flourishing isintrinsically or inherently valuable?'' Under what conditions doesa living being's ability to flourish create direct duties towardsthis being? Is awareness or sentience required for there to bedirect duties towards a living being? Does such a requirementimply that moral concerns for animals would be limited to theirfeeling well, or does it also give way to having moral concernsfor their functioning well and leading natural lives? Can onetake into account considered judgements that claim that towardsdifferent animals we have moral duties that differ in kind and/orstrength? If environmental ethics cannot be based on theconception of direct duties here discussed, should one draw adistinction between duties towards ourselves, our fellow humanbeings, or animals, and duties regarding plants, or collectiveentities such as populations, species, and ecosystems?     

Human responses to live snakes and their photographs: Evaluation of beauty and fear of the king snakes

Animals are ancestrally important stimuli for us and thus, we pay disproportional attention to them over other objects. Some of them, like snakes, attract attention as well as elicit fear reactions. We assessed human aesthetic preferences and fear reaction aroused by 20 forms of king snakes, represented by live snakes and their photographs. There was no correlation between the beauty and fear response exuded by live snakes, which indicates that these are two independent processes. Evaluation of live snakes tightly correlated with the results obtained from photographs in both beauty and fear tasks. Respondents evaluated aposematic (black-and-white/yellow-red striped) and purely black species as the most fear-evoking, which is discussed in an evolutionary framework. Interestingly, irrespective of the actual task, i.e. evaluation of beauty or fear, respondents categorized the species within similar clusters (cognitive categories).     

中国城镇居民食物消费碳排放的时空演变特征分析

本文运用碳折算系数法和投入产出模型测算了1990—2018年中国30个省(区、市)城镇居民食物消费的人均直接碳排放、人均家庭间接碳排放和人均产业间接碳排放,并运用探索性空间数据分析(ESDA)对总碳排放的空间特征进行分析。研究表明:1990—2018年中国30个省(区、市)人均间接碳排放在研究期内呈增长趋势,人均产业碳排放增长幅度最大且始终处于主导地位,大部分地区的人均直接碳排放增长较为缓慢;人均碳排放和总碳排放都呈显著增长趋势,人均碳排放的增长幅度宁夏>新疆>上海>浙江>青海>北京,甘肃最小,总碳排放增长幅度广东>浙江>山东>江苏>河北>上海,吉林最低;总碳排放在大部分年份呈正的空间相关性,整体上呈"M"形波动;局部空间自相关分析结果表明,食物消费总碳排放存在高高型和低高型两种,且2000年及以后高高型稳定在上海、江苏、浙江地区。最后,本文依据实证结果对如何降低城镇居民食物消费碳排放提出了相应的政策建议。     

城市垃圾分类与居民地方认同研究

垃圾无害化处理是环境治理不可或缺的一个环节，它不仅关系城市居民生存环境的健康程度，更直接影响公众对政府环境治理政策和治理效果的认知与评价。本文运用环境心理学理论，对折射出居民环境认知、个人偏好、预期目标和情感联系的地方认同进行问卷调查，发现社区居民对城市垃圾治理成效的评价及其对政府垃圾治理能力的评价与其地方认同呈正相关关系，同时，居民对政府关于垃圾治理法律法规的认同也能增强其地方认同感。本文建议，未来关于地方认同的研究需要聚焦于城市环境治理政策的传播效果，总结和归纳城市居民对环境治理成效的归因模式与其地方认同之间的交叉关系。     

国家可持续发展实验区政策实施效果评价研究

探索科学有效的评价方法,量化评价实验区建设的实施效果,对推进国家可持续发展实验区与国家可持续发展议程创新示范区战略,进一步提升实验区与示范区建设质量具有重要意义。本文将创新驱动维度引入可持续发展评价体系,构建了包含三级指标、四大维度、五种权重方案的实验区可持续发展水平评价框架,使用熵值法与主观赋权法、灰色聚类法、序参量法三类各有侧重又相互关联的方法,以25个地级市型实验区及其所在省份2013—2016年发展成果的量化评估,探究了实验区政策的实施效果。本文使用的三类评价方法在实验区政策效果评价方面具有一致性,研究发现:各实验区可持续发展水平均有显著提升;与所在省份相比,实验区整体上跳出了传统发展空间锁定的发展模式,发展协调度提升更为显著;实验区在某些维度下可持续发展水平进步速率更快,但仍有部分实验区尚未探究出环境、经济等多维度协调发展的路径。