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A multi-scale analysis of factors influencing perceived urban safety : A case study of Helsingborg, Sweden

Ronchi, Enrico LU orcid ; Gefenaite, Giedre LU orcid ; Mattisson, Kristoffer LU orcid ; Rohaert, Arthur LU orcid and Björk, Jonas LU orcid (2026) In Safety Science 203.
Abstract

Perceived safety in urban areas depends on factors operating across multiple spatial scales. Nevertheless, most studies address only one scale at a time. The methodological contribution of this work lies on the introduction of a multi-scale approach for the analysis of perceived in urban areas. This approach includes city, neighbourhood, and individual scales. The overall goal is to identify the key determinants of perceived safety and to characterise perception bias (the mismatch between perceived and actual safety). Using Helsingborg (Sweden) as a case study, we integrate public health survey data (n = 5,697), the ScOut environmental database, police-defined vulnerable area classifications, a shooting incident database, and... (More)

Perceived safety in urban areas depends on factors operating across multiple spatial scales. Nevertheless, most studies address only one scale at a time. The methodological contribution of this work lies on the introduction of a multi-scale approach for the analysis of perceived in urban areas. This approach includes city, neighbourhood, and individual scales. The overall goal is to identify the key determinants of perceived safety and to characterise perception bias (the mismatch between perceived and actual safety). Using Helsingborg (Sweden) as a case study, we integrate public health survey data (n = 5,697), the ScOut environmental database, police-defined vulnerable area classifications, a shooting incident database, and socio-demographic statistics. The case study shows that police-identified vulnerable areas predicted perceived safety better than the number of shootings. Low voter turnout and high unemployment showed the strongest socio-economic associations with lower perceived safety, while serenity (green space) and neighbourhood coherence (sense of community) were the most prominent correlated characteristics. At the individual scale, women, adults aged 65 and over, and people experiencing economic hardship reported the lowest perceived safety. This framework demonstrates how scale-sensitive predictive models can support targeted urban interventions.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Green Spaces, Perception, Prevention, Safety, Urban
in
Safety Science
volume
203
article number
107347
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105043469813
ISSN
0925-7535
DOI
10.1016/j.ssci.2026.107347
project
Sustainable outdoor living environments – systematic interdisciplinary studies of health effects and impact on social inequalities
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Authors.
id
7a8d03ff-a0b1-4ef1-9a9f-31c0a993fd57
date added to LUP
2026-07-23 11:16:16
date last changed
2026-07-23 13:20:52
@article{7a8d03ff-a0b1-4ef1-9a9f-31c0a993fd57,
  abstract     = {{<p>Perceived safety in urban areas depends on factors operating across multiple spatial scales. Nevertheless, most studies address only one scale at a time. The methodological contribution of this work lies on the introduction of a multi-scale approach for the analysis of perceived in urban areas. This approach includes city, neighbourhood, and individual scales. The overall goal is to identify the key determinants of perceived safety and to characterise perception bias (the mismatch between perceived and actual safety). Using Helsingborg (Sweden) as a case study, we integrate public health survey data (n = 5,697), the ScOut environmental database, police-defined vulnerable area classifications, a shooting incident database, and socio-demographic statistics. The case study shows that police-identified vulnerable areas predicted perceived safety better than the number of shootings. Low voter turnout and high unemployment showed the strongest socio-economic associations with lower perceived safety, while serenity (green space) and neighbourhood coherence (sense of community) were the most prominent correlated characteristics. At the individual scale, women, adults aged 65 and over, and people experiencing economic hardship reported the lowest perceived safety. This framework demonstrates how scale-sensitive predictive models can support targeted urban interventions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ronchi, Enrico and Gefenaite, Giedre and Mattisson, Kristoffer and Rohaert, Arthur and Björk, Jonas}},
  issn         = {{0925-7535}},
  keywords     = {{Green Spaces; Perception; Prevention; Safety; Urban}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Safety Science}},
  title        = {{A multi-scale analysis of factors influencing perceived urban safety : A case study of Helsingborg, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2026.107347}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ssci.2026.107347}},
  volume       = {{203}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}