Framework towards Residential Neighbourhood Crime Prevention in South Western Nigeria

Abstract

The need to curb the soaring trend of residential neighbourhood crime, considering its negative impact on the neighbourhood in general and property value in particular is not to be given the expected attention in academia and government settings. However, the consequences of residential neighbourhood crime are found to be devastating. Hence, this study proposes a Socio-Environmental Design Factors (SEDeF) model for residential neighbourhood crime toward improving property value in Nigeria. Purposive and systematic sampling techniques were adopted, while logistic regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyse the data and achieve the set objectives. The findings showed that social risk factors (poverty, unemployment, juvenile delinquencies, illiteracy, and homelessness) and the environmental design factors (natural access control, surveillance, efficient maintenance, territorial functioning, and target hardening) are capable of influencing residential neighbourhood crime in Nigeria. The results of the analysis find the set hypotheses to be significant. This is shown through the regression weights and p-values of the influence of the social risk factors and environmental design factors on residential neighbourhood crime to be 0.69 (0.000) and 0.14 (0.000), respectively. Also, the impact of residential neighbourhood crime on property value gives regression weight and p-value at 0.47 and 0.000, respectively. The model fitness is further guaranteed by the R^2, which stands at 52%. The interpretation of these results is that applying social development programmes to tackle the social risk factors and purposeful manipulation of the residential neighbourhood through design could go a long way to decrease neighbourhood crime and boost property values. This research serves as an awakening call to the Nigerian government, policymakers, and researchers to tackle property crime to ensure housing sustainability and property value appreciation, among others.