Perceived Safety in Urban Parks: CPTED, Place Attachment and the COVID-19 Paradigm

Abstract

The combined influence of the pandemic and fear of crime on CPTED effectiveness, park visitation, and urban park attachment introduces complexity and raises new research questions. Accordingly, this study examines the relationships between Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), time spent in the park, perceived safety concerning crime (PSC), perceived safety concerning COVID-19 (PS19), and PA. It also investigates how these variables and their interrelationships differ between married and single individuals, as well as between old and modern parks. Structural equation modelling, a multigroup analysis, and SPSS are used to analyse data from 411 office workers in Baise City, China. Results indicate that the effect of CPTED on PS19 is mediated by both the time spent in parks and PSC, highlighting both the applicability and challenges of CPTED theory in promoting perceived pandemic-related safety. Furthermore, the influence of PS19 on PA is greater than that of PSC, underscoring the crucial role of urban parks in promoting PA by ensuring PS19. In contrast to previous studies, this study finds that time spent in the park does not significantly mediate the relationship between CPTED and PSC. Additionally, differences in study variables and their interrelationships are observed between single and married participants and between old and modern parks, revealing inequities in urban park benefits. These findings contribute to the expanded application of CPTED and its integration with PA theory, thereby offering empirical support for leveraging urban parks to enhance residents' well-being in future pandemics, aligning with SDG #11