Lighting Auckland's Urban Parks: Crime Prevention Research on Lighting and Lighting Provision Guidelines

Abstract

Urban parks, as an essential part of the urban environment, help to define a city and the people who live there (Burgess, 1994, p.i). People value urban parks, and Aucklanders are not an exception. However, issues of crime and fear of crime in urban parks significantly compromise the value of Auckland’s urban parks, therefore, needed to be addressed. Theories of Safe Cities, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design and Situational Crime Prevention provide a basis for the development of crime prevention techniques. Lighting is commonly used a technique that has effects on both crime and fear of crime. Also, it suits urban park characteristics as well as Auckland context. Comprehensive and sufficient guidance is required to help apply lighting in Auckland’s parks to reduce crime and fear of crime. However, there is no integrated park lighting provision guidance in Auckland as the guidelines scattered in four different guiding documents. Moreover, there are conflicting guidelines which may cause confusions. Reconciling the difference is required. Further, these guidelines are insufficient compared with guidelines developed by other oversea cities. Adding the missing guidance is recommended. This research has identifies lighting as a suitable tool to reduce crime and fear of crime for Auckland’s urban parks. Further, it reveals there is a lack of integrated and comprehensive guidance to apply it in Auckland. Drawing on the international experience, recommendations to improve Auckland’s guidance have been given.