The role of urban built environments in the perception of safety: A systematic review

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 explicitly aims to make cities and human settlements safe. Perception of safety in urban environments significantly impacts daily activities, travel behavior, social interactions, and mental well-being. Existing literature shows that, in addition to individual and social characteristics, urban built environment characteristics significantly influence the perceptions of safety. We conduct a systematic review of the relationship between built environments and perceptions of safety in urban settings. Specifically, we propose a conceptual framework to categorize the context and settings of existing studies on the perception of safety in urban environments along five dimensions: What is perceived? Where is it perceived? When is it perceived? Who perceives it? And How is it perceived? A taxonomy is also designed to categorize the diverse characteristics of the urban environment in these studies. Our results reveal that the experimental design, analytical methods and empirical findings of these studies are diverse depending on their specific contexts. Based on the review, we further identify key research challenges in three aspects: experimental settings, analytical methods, and contribution of the built environment. Our findings not only advance theoretical understanding but also offer practical guidance for creating safer, more inclusive, and sustainable urban environments.