(Un)safe cities

By Clóvis Girardi, Gustavo Matheus de Morais and João Henrique Muniz - The topic of public safety has dominated news reports, family gatherings, and especially schools in recent weeks due to terrible violent events in environments that should be welcoming and empowering. Discussions about what to do to make public spaces safer almost always follow three aspects: increased policing, installation of video surveillance cameras, and reduction of shared spaces. While these are important conditions, this approach excludes a range of possibilities and measures that contribute to reducing insecurity. 

It is impossible to discuss security in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region without considering its urbanization and metropolization process, which is markedly car-centric, disordered, and marked by profound spatial, social, economic, racial, and gender inequalities. The combination of an urban development model that prioritizes the automobile as a means of transportation in road infrastructure with segregated and unequal territories has insecurity as one of its consequences. 

Given the impossibility of turning back time and making better choices, the security policies promoted by municipalities and the state do little to bring about structural transformations and focus more on the immediate visibility of a quick response to society. In a time of crisis, such as in the case of schools, for example, it is easier to think about police presence in schools than about a more complex and comprehensive approach to education and public health, urban development, housing, and social and economic equality. 

Another security measure that is becoming increasingly popular among managers – especially municipal ones – is video surveillance. Operations centers, dozens, hundreds of image points, and the relentless pursuit of detecting crimes as they happen or resolving incidents. The 'Intelligent Security Wall' policy has also become popular, as in the case of Santo André, with software specifically designed for automobiles to find stolen vehicles and those with outstanding taxes – not to locate people needing assistance. 

Clearly, these measures are important. Both video surveillance and the presence of municipal guards and police largely inhibit violent action, but they contribute little to structural social transformation. Violence persists, as does insecurity. 

There is no way for a security policy to be effective without aiming for the full realization of the Right to the City. A security policy focused on promoting a more comprehensive and integrated citizen-centered approach is needed, one that considers the adoption of urban and social policies addressing socio-spatial inequalities. Changes in urban planning legislation are often underestimated, but they can have a significant impact in areas such as sustainable urban mobility, prioritizing quality (and free) public transportation, the implementation of bike lanes and wide sidewalks, and the creation of inclusive and accessible public spaces that promote coexistence and the safe use of urban space by the population. 

It is also essential to base land use and occupation policies on making public spaces safer by encouraging active facades and the simultaneous use of housing and economic activity (especially those with low noise pollution impact) as a way to promote greater circulation of people on the streets. The feeling of insecurity is also linked to the lack of lighting, the large walls surrounding properties and, fundamentally, the low flow of people. 

We propose an exercise for you, the reader. Imagine yourself at night, walking along two of the most important avenues in the metropolitan region: first, Avenida Paulista; then, Avenida dos Estados. Notice the differences in the building profile, the activities that take place there, the number of cars, buses, bicycles and people circulating, the lighting and street furniture. The proposal, of course, is not about transforming all the city's avenues into "Paulista avenues," but to quickly demonstrate that the feeling of safety is invariably linked to urban planning issues. 

The right to the city must be central if we want a culture of peace. Policies on work and income, housing, education, health, culture, sports, and leisure need to promote social inclusion and strengthen community, collective, and anti-racist ties. Combating inequality and social exclusion is a fundamental strategy in promoting fairer and more effective citizen security.

Another important action is promoting citizen participation in decisions related to urban security, through forums, public consultations, and partnerships between public authorities, civil society, and the private sector. It is essential that all stakeholders in the area can be heard and included in policies and actions aimed at citizen security.

In short, it is essential to adopt an integrated and participatory approach that promotes equity and social inclusion to meet the challenges of making cities safer. It is important to consider the needs of the population and implement urban and social policies that address the structural causes of crime, aiming to guarantee equal and safe access to public spaces and promoting the active participation of the community in building a more just and secure city. Furthermore, it is necessary to invest in violence prevention measures, respect human rights, and promote citizen participation, seeking structural transformations in the territories. Only in this way will it be possible to create welcoming, empowering, and safe urban environments for the entire population.

*Clóvis Girardi holds a Bachelor's degree in Science and Humanities and in Territorial Planning, and is pursuing a Master's degree in Territorial Planning and Management at the Federal University of ABC.

Gustavo Matheus de Morais holds a degree in Management Processes Technology and a Bachelor's degree in Science and Humanities from the Federal University of ABC. 

***João Henrique Muniz holds a Bachelor's degree in Science and Humanities and is currently pursuing a degree in Territorial Planning and Public Policy at the Federal University of ABC.