perceptions of urban perception

investigating differences in perceived vs. actual

safety in NYC neighborhoods

diana lam
diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

march 31, 2016

PROJECT GOALS

Which area looks safer?

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

PROJECT GOALS

Which area looks safer?

east new york

borough park

~30

~2

crimes per 1,000

residents/workers

crimes per 1,000

residents/workers

citywide median

~9
crimes per 1,000
residents/workers
diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

PROJECT GOALS

improve the exploration of NYC

neighborhoods by understanding
differences between perceived and
actual safety

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

which neighborhoods are

perceived differently?

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

DATA: WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY?

perceived danger

actual crime

300,000

105,000

images/coordinates
across NYC

major felony incidents

by location in 2014

2,000
census tracts
diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

METHOD: WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY?

actual
crime

perceived
danger

z-score

z-score

difference
score

neighborhood type

safer than
perceived

neutral tracts
2,100 census

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

+
more dangerous
than perceived

FINDINGS: WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY?

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

FINDINGS: WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY?

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

FINDINGS: WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY?

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

10

what characterizes these

neighborhoods?

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

DATA & METHOD: WHAT CHARACTERIZES THESE NEIGHBORHOODS?

socioeconomic

physical

features

features

household type

primary land use

race

housing affordability

employment

bldg heights

educational attainment

bldg age

income

assessed value

population density

311 complaints

gender

transit access

age

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

12

FINDINGS: WHAT CHARACTERIZES THESE NEIGHBORHOODS?

WHAT IMPACTS THE ODDS OF A NEIGHBORHOOD BEING

MORE DANGEROUS THAN PERCEIVED?

top 5 features

% non-white
population

+ 99%
+ 49%

% non-family
households
% industrial sf

- 21%

recent building
development

- 20%

variance in
building heights

physical/perceived danger feature

- 8%

socioeconomic/crime rate feature

% impact on odds
diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

13

FINDINGS: WHAT CHARACTERIZES THESE NEIGHBORHOODS?

WHAT IMPACTS THE ODDS OF A NEIGHBORHOOD BEING

SAFER THAN PERCEIVED?

+ 60%

top 5 features

variance in
building heights
% industrial
sf
% non-white
population

+ 58%
- 53%

recent
building
development
% non-family
households

+ 45%
physical/perceived danger feature

- 45%

socioeconomic/crime rate feature

% impact on odds
diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

14

CONCLUSIONS

NEIGHBORHOOD TYPE:

NEIGHBORHOOD TYPE:

MORE DANGEROUS THAN

PERCEIVED

SAFER THAN
PERCEIVED

older, non-industrial
neighborhoods with
homogeneous building
heights

newer, industrial
neighborhoods with
varying building heights

&

&

larger non-white
population and more nonfamily households

smaller non-white
population and more
family households

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

15

improving neighborhood exploration

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

DEMO: IMPROVING NEIGHBORHOOD EXPLORATION

dianalam.github.io/perceptions/map.html

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io

17

thanks!
diana lam
lam.diana.hc@gmail.com
dianalam.github.io
explore the map:
dianalam.github.io/perceptions/map.html

diana lam | lam.diana.hc@gmail.com | dianalam.github.io