Analysis of the Effect of Physical-Social Factors on the Type of Crimes in Defenseless Parts of Urmia

Several factors contribute to the occurrence and spread of crime. Defenseless or crime-prone parts of the city are one of these factors. Defenseless or crime-prone parts have many features that are divisible into two groups of physical and social, which prepare the space for crime. The physical features and social characteristics play the key role in setting the scene for the crime from the perspective of city designers/architects and sociological/psychological theorists, respectively. This research has been carried out through observation in a four-month period in Aban 92. The research location was region 4 of Urmia. In this research, study locations were determined based on crime type and goals of research (availability or restriction and safety of unidentified person's presence) including Emam street, Velayat-e Faghih square (theft and stealing bags) – Aramgah street, Golestan park (quarrel) – Velayat-e Faghih square, Aramgah street, Golestan park, Eghbal street (opium, heroin and weeds sale) – Eghbal street, Velayat-e Faghih square, Golestan park (alcoholic drinks sale).The results indicate that adequate lighting and lack of building concentration are the features which differentiate pickpocketing districts from others. Lack of communication link with other spaces, existence of recessed or raised areas, having clear boundaries and low building are the distinguishing features that demarcate quarrel-appropriate districts from others. Furthermore, sequence is among the other features distinguishing the districts suitable for selling illegal drugs and alcoholic drinks from other districts. Moreover, based on research findings, among the chief social factors underlying crime, desertedness and lack of social surveillance are the major ones, and among the physical indicators of crime, turns and twists and closeness to prominent locations are the most influential factors giving rise to the occurrence of crime.