URBAN CRIME AND DISASTERS

 urban crime are social disorganization, subculture, and conflict

theories. Social disorganization theory is concerned with the way in
which characteristics of cities and neighborhoods influence crime rates.
Subcultural theories to explain urban crime are of two types—

subculture of violence
subculture of poverty

Common to both types is the belief that certain groups carry sets of norms and values that
make them more likely to engage in crime. The subculture of violence thesis holds that high
rates of violence result from a culture where criminality in general, and violence in particular,
are more acceptable forms of behavior. Carriers of a subculture of violence are quicker to
resort to violence than others. Situations that normally might simply anger others could
provoke violence by those carrying subculture of violence values.
 Subcultural theorists claim that social institutions themselves contribute to the
development and persistence of a subculture conducive to criminality and violence.

For example, the disintegration of particular institutions (i.e., churches, families, and
schools) denies certain populations (and in particular, minorities) the opportunity to learn
conventional norms and values. The result of such processes is that certain groups are
more likely to use violence in their day-to-day encounters, and violence is seen as an
acceptable means to solving disputes.
REASONS
Population and migration
Adverse conditions, high population densities, rapid changes in
social environments and other factors can produce substantial
and unpredictable crime patterns.

Urban poverty
Factors ranging from the degree of effectiveness of law enforcement
and crime prevention mechanisms to the availability of social support
structures and the extent to which people have a meaningful interest or ability
to participate in social, political and economic activities have well-\
documented links to crime, and all are rapidly eroded as conditions
deteriorate in urban settings.
Youth and urban crime
Youth are also more exposed to the risk of victimization, which is
itself linked to future criminality in some cases, and to poverty,
marginalization and other conditions which have been shown to
have similar links.
Gangs
Gang operations provide a substantial motivation for crime, both
in support of the social and economic activities that sustain the
group, and in competition with or defence from other gangs,
other criminal groups, law enforcement or society at large. Gangs
also propagate crime as they expand, spread and diversify when
conditions are favourable and as their members move from one
place to another and in and out of prison.
Reasons ….

 High levels of poverty or economic deprivation

 residential mobility
 family disruption
 poor housing conditions
 low levels of education are most likely to be
disorganized and have higher levels of crime
and violence.
 a lack of solidarity and cohesion
The absence of a shared sense
of community and mutual
commitment between residents
Comparison

Crime rates in urban areas are more widespread than those in rural areas. Random
crime sprees are more common in urban areas because of the crowd theory. More
populated than a rural area, thus less likely to get caught. Less isolated crime in urban
areas.

On the other hand in the rural areas, if you go over to your neighbor's yard and steal
say a flower box off of his front lawn, it is going to be much more obvious than in a
heavily populated area. Less people in living in urban areas don't look out for
criminals, so they could care less about their neighbors' belongings much less than
their own. But in a rural area, there's more surveillance from neighborhood crime
fighting groups. More people tend to notice when something is amiss in the rural
neighborhood.
Architecturally…

The lack or inadequacy of a natural vigilance system; there were no urban facilities
(such as benches, terraces, kiosks, etc ) which would have enabled the users of that
space to remain there for a few moments, and participate, albeit unconsciously, in the
process of natural vigilance.
A weak relationship between the interior and exterior of buildings: ground floor
windows were frequently protected by bars, and commercial establishments did not
have display windows giving visual access directly onto the street. This characteristic
is quite possibly a consequence of the feelings of insecurity experienced by residents,
who close themselves up inside their buildings .In fact, this kind of behavior tends to
reduce security in real terms, because it potentially lowers the levels of community
participation in neighbourhood vigilance. This aspect is typical of urban areas with
security problems.
 URBAN DISASTERS
BETWEEN 1974 AND 2003, 6367 NATURAL
DISASTERS OCCURRED GLOBALLY, CAUSING
THE DEATH OF 2 MILLION PEOPLE AND
AFFECTING 5.1 BILLION PEOPLE. A TOTAL OF
182 MILLION PEOPLE WERE MADE HOMELESS,
• ECONOMIC DAMAGE AMOUNTED TO
US$1.38 TRILLION. SINCE 1975, THE
NUMBER OF NATURAL DISASTERS
RECORDED GLOBALLY HAS INCREASED
• A TOTAL OF 98 PER CENT OF THE 211
MILLION PEOPLE AFFECTED BY NATURAL
DISASTERS ANNUALLY FROM 1991 TO 2000
WERE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
REASONS FOR URBAN DISASTERS

The main reasons for urban disasters are :-

 Increasing poverty
Poverty is a reason for urban disaster, Nearly 2.6
billion city dwellers are in poor countries, and around
one billion of them live illegally in slums. People in
slums are much more vulnerable to disasters because of
the poor infrastructure, the lack of sanitary facilities
and clean drinking water, and their insecure status as
slum dwellers
• Inequality and failures in governance
failures in governance leads unrest in the people and the chances for rioting and many other
illegal activities, communal wars. etc

• High population density,

Population is an important factor. Rapid urbanisations, Villages being transferred to cities ,
and moreover, urban migration. More than half of the world’s population and the majority of its
capital assets are found in urban settlements. Maintaining these centres relies upon chains of
consumption that pull in water, food and energy and lack of these resources can cause chaos in a
city.

Usage of materials
The materials used for building and industry construction may produce gas, liquid, or solids that
place those living in their vicinity at risk – from explosions, collapse, and impact on the
environment.
One of the important characteristics of vulnerability due to urbanisation results from
construction that does not meet building and industry standards
India’s Vulnerability to Disasters

 57% land is vulnerable to earthquakes. Of these, 12% is vulnerable to severe earthquakes.

 68% land is vulnerable to drought.

 12% land is vulnerable to floods. Places below sealevel

 8% land is vulnerable to cyclones.

 Apart from natural disasters, some cities in India are also vulnerable to chemical and industrial disasters and

man-made disasters.
DISASTERS IN INDIA

 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy

 2001 Gujarat earthquake
 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
 2008 Mumbai attacks 
HOW TO REDUCE URBAN
DISASTERS
 Land-use planning, Urban planning is a particularly
effective instrument that city authorities can employ to
reduce disaster risk
 regulating the expansion of human settlements is another
way of prevention
 Maintaining a good infrastructure and using modern
technology can also help in reducing urban disasters
Conclusion

 Urban disasters are charectarised by castastrophe due to over population and

dense concentration of social capitals which has not maintained its balance with
investment for disaster prevention. The population density in large cities of over
one million inhabitants is the most important factor which amplifies the
casualities and damages to properties.
 Thus, its is necessary to take up measures to prevent urban disasters
 THANK YOU

Submitted by

ANAVADYA ASHOKAN
ASWIN LAL KC
NANDANA BALAMURALI
STEPHIN SAMUEL THOMAS