In nature, a creature that breaks its leg has a very slim chance of survival. It cannot move, forage for food, or escape danger. However, the discovery of a healed femur during an excavation indicates that the individual was not abandoned. Someone protected, carried, and fed them, remaining by their side until they recovered. This demonstrates that, in human communities, safety is achieved not merely through protection against physical threats but also through social solidarity. At its core, civilization is built upon this collective sense of responsibility—ensuring that no individual is left alone during times of hardship.
In the 21st century, the concept of urban safety has transcended a narrow understanding limited to reducing crime rates or physically securing public spaces; it has evolved into a multidimensional field of governance directly linked to social welfare, inclusivity, and societal resilience. Structural dynamics with a growing global impact—such as rapid urbanization, migration, income inequality, social exclusion, and demographic shifts—demonstrate that the security risks emerging in cities cannot be managed solely by law enforcement agencies. This reality has necessitated a new approach, one that supports urban safety through preventive social policy tools rather than relying primarily on reactive intervention mechanisms.
Today, there is a strong governance trend across metropolises worldwide emphasizing the need to integrate "social municipalism" practices—such as social services, education policies, employment support, gender equality programs, and youth initiatives—with security policies to ensure sustainable safety. The "human security" approach championed by the United Nations also views urban safety not merely as the elimination of physical threats, but as... ...defines it as a process of protecting individuals from social, economic, and psychological perspectives. In this context, social policy initiatives implemented by local governments play a critical role in developing preventive security mechanisms by mitigating fundamental risk factors that foster crime—such as poverty, unemployment, lack of access to education, social exclusion, and spatial inequalities.
When examined on a global scale, it is evident that "social municipalism" practices—such as neighborhood-based social service centers, support programs for women and children, youth employment projects, and local initiatives fostering community engagement—have a direct impact on reducing urban crime rates and enhancing social solidarity. Community-based security models implemented in many cities across Europe, North America, and Asia, in particular, demonstrate that security can be achieved not merely through surveillance and enforcement mechanisms, but through inclusive local policies aimed at mitigating social risks at an early stage. This approach shifts urban security from a law-enforcement-centric service area into a multi-stakeholder collaboration process involving social services, local governments, and civil society actors.
The Transformation of the Concept of Urban Security
Over time, the concept of urban security has undergone a significant transformation: shifting from a perspective limited to physical measures for crime prevention and the intervention capacity of law enforcement agencies, toward a holistic governance approach that encompasses the management of social, economic, and environmental risks. Particularly in cities that expanded rapidly following the Industrial Revolution, security policies were for many years addressed within the framework of reactive intervention mechanisms aimed at controlling crime rates and maintaining public order [1]. However, the increasing impact of structural issues—such as rising migration flows, urban poverty, spatial inequalities, and social exclusion—on urban life since the last quarter of the 20th century has demonstrated that security cannot be measured solely by crime rates. During this period, urban security has evolved into a multidimensional concept directly linked to social welfare, access to public services, a sense of social belonging, and quality of life, extending far beyond the mere physical protection of individuals [2].
Today, urban security policies have moved beyond traditional approaches based on post-incident intervention, shifting instead toward a preventive perspective that focuses on the early identification and mitigation of social risk factors that foster crime. Accordingly, a strong governance trend has emerged, emphasizing the need to integrate social policy tools—such as education, employment, social services, programs targeting women and children, and mechanisms for civic engagement—with security policies [3].
The "human security" approach developed by the United Nations also views urban security not merely as the elimination of physical threats, but as the safeguarding of individuals' economic, social, and psy...