PLANNING RESEARCH PROJECT

PROJECT TITLE: CRIME INCIDENCES AND COPING MECHANISMS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS; THE CASE OF MUKURU KWA REUBEN

Purpose of the study

To examine the incidences of crime and coping mechanisms in the informal settlement of Mukuru

kwa Reuben. It was set out to identify the nature of criminal activities and the areas that are com-

monly affected, the types of crimes, intensity, frequency. The study also examined the coping mecha-

nisms of the residents and the responses towards insecurity in Mukuru kwa Reuben. The study aimed

to bring out the social spatial characteristics of Mukuru kwa Reuben that reinforce criminal behavior

and the coping mechanisms devised by the residents with the view to propose appropriate intervention

measures.

Study objectives 1. To identify the nature and incidences of crime in Mukuru Kwa Reuben

2. To identify the social spatial characteristics of the settlement that reinforce criminal behavior

3. To identify the coping mechanisms of Mukuru kwa Reuben residents to crime

4. To propose appropriate strategies for reducing crime and improving safety in Mukuru kwa Reuben

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA

Trigger risk factors that cause

crime

· Narrow footpaths

· Lack of definite transit routes

· Underdeveloped infrastructure

Physical environment Interven-

tions

· CPTED principles (Access con-

trol, Maintenance, Surveil-

lance, Activity support)

· Redevelopment of village layout

Crime occurrence Slowed development, failed in-

vestment, vandalism of property,

Fear among residents

Policy Interventions

· Enforcement of policy guidelines

· Employment opportunities for youths

· Policy guidelines for village manage-

ment

Structural causes that cause crime

· Institutional failure

· Un employment

· Lack of enforcement

Design Layout/ neighbor-

hood setting of informal set-

tlement

Safe neighborhood,

· Efficient circulation

flows

· Increased development

Coping mechanisms

Spatial: building gates, walls, physical rein-

forcement, target hardening,

Social: community policing, neighborhood

watch, group counseling

This was a comparative study where two villages ie, Feed the Children and Railway villages in Mukuru kwa Reuben

were selected because they show different physical setting of which each has effect towards crime incidences.

Summary of major findings:

Most rampant crimes were robbery, illicit brewing, muggings, burglary and assault.

Most crimes reported were highest in Feed the Children as compared to Railway village

Crimes that happened daily were illicit brewing, robbery and mugging. The intensity of most crimes was reported

to be moderate

Most crimes were reported to occur along footpaths and corridors. It was also highest near the river and along the

railway. The narrow footpaths in Feed the Children were attributed to increased crime incidences.

There only being one police post in the whole settlement, caused fear among residents as well as creating tension

among the residents of Mukuru kwa Reuben.

The lack of street lighting increased criminal activities in both villages. The dark lanes and streets in both Feed the

Children village and Railway Villages have emerged as a major trigger effect for crime occurrence.

The coping mechanisms were both social and spatial. Social coping mechanisms were the most common. These in-

cluded neighborhood watch, community policing and forming youth groups for corrective behavior and economic

empowerment. Spatial coping mechanisms were few and mainly in Railway village and these included burglar

proofing doors. Constructing houses doors facing one another, improved housing standards.

Summary of recommendations:

Installation of flood lights in the village to illuminate the streets during the night to enhance safety during the night

Use of building materials that are low cost but affordable that make it harder for criminals to break in. the walls and

doors need to be reinforced with stronger building materials unlike the existing iron sheets and wooden doors.

Developing A site plan for the village include re planning of the structures into two storey buildings which allow for

horizontal space for the alignment of wider footpaths and streets. These streets will then be landscaped with proper

crime prevention designs including street lighting and areas for activity support and for creation of a mixed use space

Establishment pf more police posts and deployment of more police personnel to increase surveillance

The river front and railway reserve will be landscaped to offer safe transit routes for users to and from the village.

Garbage collection initiative and policy directives need to be given within the village to reduce and eventually elimi-

nate the haphazard dumping of solid waste that makes the environment look un-aesthetically pleasing.

A policy directive on the number of allowed pubs should be given and enforced by the village management. These

policies will help eliminate illicit brewers and arrest of perpetrators.

Community policing, neighborhood watch, and community cohesion are social responses that are encouraged in low

income communities since they are not privileged to employ security guards and improved surveillance technologies

Cause Main issue Effect Rapid urbanization rates, poverty

Un-employment Delinquency

Fear

Victimization

Vandalism of property

Increase in crime occur-rences

Lack of development

Continued segregation of residents by outsid-ers

Illicit brewing, lack of regu-lations on alcohol consump-tion

Excessive alcoholism

Moral erosion and neglect from parents

Poor upbringing of children

Monopoly of leadership Corrupt un-integral leaders Failed community policing and neighborhood watch

Poor community cohesion

Lack of an urban planning policy

Congested houses, narrow footpaths,

Lack of crime prevention design in house construction

Lack of natural surveillance, access con-trol

Lack of policies and laws on slum security

Lack of street lighting

Lack of urban planning pol-icy

Deteriorated urban environment

PLANNING IMPLICATIONS: Causes and effects of main problem issues

Effect of foot paths on crime in both Railway and Feed the

Children. The photos show the size of foot paths in Feed

the Children and Railway, respectively.

Feed the Children

Feed the Children

Railway

Railway

Feed the Children village is characterized by crowded small sized

structures arranged in an organic manner. The narrow streets in the

area make it difficult to navigate around the structures thus making it

difficult to run from victimization. On the other hand, Railway is a

newly settled settlement with a grid street pattern which enhances

security space legibility and infrastructure provision. The structure

and street pattern form clusters of uniformly designed streets.

The more organized railway village has fewer crimes related to the

spatial or physical form as compared to feed the children which have

the organic morphology.

Summary of Literature review

Three important theories on crime and its relation to the physical environment were studied and these included broken win-

dow theory (Wilson and Kelling’s 1982), defensible space (Newman, 1972) and CPTED (Jeffery, 1971). These theories link

the rundown quality of the environment in which people live with the negative influence it has on the sense of pride in be-

longing and ownership of their environment, thereby making them less likely to act on both environmental problems and

crime.

The current policy framework in Kenya does not accommodate slum development control due the complexities of slum ex-

istence including the land tenure systems. Thus, the need for a clear urban planning policy that provides for the slum up-

grading programs with the aim to reach target 11 of the MDGs.

Legal and policy framework relevant to the study included: Physical Planning Act, The Kenya Constitution, EMCA, Na-

tional Land Policy, UN Habitat, Kensup, SDI, cities alliance

PLANNING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Development project objectives 1. To take an inventory of the existing site development and condition

2. To review relevant policy, design guidelines and regulations for crime prevention in in-

formal settlements

3. To redevelop Feed the Children village and develop a site plan for the village.

4. To develop the project’s implementation framework by detailing out the development

components, action plans, management framework, monitoring and evaluation frame-

work as well as development control

LOCATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA

INTERVENTION MEASURES

CPTED principle How it will be implemented

Surveillance and visibility; Installation of flood lights 80 meters apart Constructing houses with windows facing the

streets, courtyard and other open spaces

Territoriality and defensible space;

Putting short wall fences with landscaping that allows visibility

Access and escape routes;

Wider streets with primary roads of 6 meters wide and secondary streets of 4.5 meters width

Ensuing no dead end to streets and cul-de-sacs

Image and aesthetics Landscaping Cleaning up the environment Garbage collection strategies Use of building materials that does not dilapidate

Target hardening.

Having small gated communities with boundary walls not higher than 1.5meters

Burglar proofing houses with

Activity support Open commercial activities along the road which

are made wide enough to support both commercial activities and pedestrian activity.

Ngong river flows adja-

cent to the project area.

The river is among the

locations most prone to

criminal activities. It is

used as a transit route to

and from work. They are

mugged and robbed at

this point place, hence

the need to landscape to

improve it aesthetics

A school with a play ground in

Feed the Children. This may be the

only open space available in the

project area. If it remains unkempt

and not secured, it may end up be-

ing a dead space that reinforces

criminal behavior.

Hence the need for beautification,

territoriality, lighting and integra-

tion with existing uses

The residential block (known as structures) are

also a major location for crime occurrence.

Houses are built door to door thus leaves no room

for wider streets that would help in enhanced pas-

sive and active surveillance.

The houses are also built of very permeable build-

ing materials i.e. iron sheets which burglars find

it very easy to break in and commit crime.

The very narrow foot-

paths allow multiple

routes for criminals to

attack the users of the

footpaths.

They also do not offer

support for activities that

would help increase sur-

veillance on the street.

Also the lack of street

lighting has discouraged

the night activities of

most residents which also

increases the surveillance

of the village as well as

enhances safety by deter-

ring criminal activities.

PROJECT PLANNING AND DESIGN

SITE ANALYSIS

PROJECT TITLE: UPGRADING OF FEED THE CHILDREN VILLAGE FOR ENHANCED URBAN SAFETY

PROPOSED MASTER/

SITE PLAN

FRONT ELEVATION OF A BLOCK

B65/38941/2010

KARUGA D WAIRIMU