Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Tourism, university of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
2
PhD student. in geography and urban planning, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
Abstract
Nowadays, as one of the dimensions of sustainability, urban security plays a significant role in achieving economic, social and cultural well-being for urban residents while providing peace and feeling of safety in urban spaces, so that its lack causes the unsustainability of the quality of life of the residents in the urban space. The present research aims to express the level of sustainability of the urban areas and regions in Kashan with an emphasis on the urban security index, in order to comply strategies based on the principles of sustainable urban development to increase security in critical areas while identifying unstable urban areas and regions in the scope of security. The research has been conducted in applied form regarding the purpose and in terms of conduction method is descriptive-analytical using urban security indicators by means of TOPSIS multi-criteria decision-making model through which an attempt has been made to answer the question, what pattern does the level of stability of Kashan's districts and regions follow in terms of urban security indicators? Considering prioritizing the availability levels in terms of security indicators, conducted surveys and analyses throughout urban areas of Kashan show that regions 5 and 4 hold the first and second rankings and Region 3, attaining the third ranking, is one of the semi-privileged regions, and eventually Regions 2 and 1, having the fourth and fifth ranks, are among the deprived and actual deprived urban areas. The results of the research indicate that the sustainability of the districts and regions of Kashan follows an unbalanced pattern in terms of urban security indicators, standing in three levels of privileged, semi-privileged and under-privileged, and consequently, the districts and regions do not enjoy the identical urban security and in this context, an action should be taken to distribute moderately the facilities and services in underprivileged districts and regions.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Crime and fear of crime are imperative challenges for achieving sustainability; because the sustainable city is characterized by the conceptualization of poverty, physical wear and tear and inefficiency, increasing crime rates and fear of crime. The quality of life can improve by reducing crime and fear of crime, which is a fundamental issue in creating a more sustainable development. Sustainable security is derived from the concept of sustainability; the sustainable security of citizenship can be defined as freedom from a person’s fear and requirement living in the city, an emancipation that comprises the main core and various features of a citizen's life while continuing whose result is the formation of well-being and comfort and preservation of human dignity. In the course of mentioned approach, Kashan is one of the cities that encounters unequal urban spaces influenced by high physical and population growth of the city, faces unequal urban spaces regarding the quality-of-life indicators. Consequently, it is predicted that the variance in the level of enjoyment has caused the unsustainability (inequality and decline) of the security category in urban districts and regions. Therefore, throughout the present research, an attempt has been made to answer the question that “What pattern does the level of sustainability of the districts and regions of Kashan follow considering urban security indicators?”, through which the strategies be compiled and presented to increase security in critical areas and meanwhile identify unstable urban restricts and regions in the realm of security.
Methodology
The research has been conducted in applied form regarding the purpose and in terms of conduction method is descriptive-analytical; according to the general principles of the research method, two methods of documentary and survey were applied in research design and data collection. A part of the research is constructed on the qualitative method and particularly in the analysis of indicators, another part is derived from the quantitative method. The major process of the present research comprises two steps as follows:
Identifying and extracting the significant indicators of urban security criterion
Identifying and selecting appropriate models and patterns to measure and evaluate the important indicators of urban security criterion
Accordingly, in the first step, based on the results of the interviews with experts, the indicators identification and extraction link to urban security criteria was proceeded using the Delphi technique, and in the second step, the sustainability levels of Kashan urban districts were evaluated with an emphasis on the urban security index applying a combination approach of multi-criteria decision-making models such as TOPSIS-AHP first, using the hierarchical analysis model (AHP), the weight of each index was determined through the completion of paired-comparison questionnaires by urban professionals and academic experts and eventually, regarding urban security indicators, the ranking of Kashan urban regions and restricts was accomplished by collecting spatial data proportional to the indicators besides applying TOPSIS method.
Results and Discussion
The surveys and analyses conducted throughout Kashan urban areas in terms of prioritizing the levels of enjoyment show that regarding security indicators, regions five and four , rise the first and second rank regarding the advantages of indicators such as appropriate and qualified physical structure, availing the road lighting equipment, green space, parks and cultural centers and ultimate accessing social services and region 3 gets the third rank among the semi-privileged regions and finally regions one and two rank the 4th and 5th among deprived and actual deprived urban areas considering security indicators due to reasons such as having an old and worn texture, relinquishing worn-out and dilapidated spaces, access restrictions, changing the identity of the population, lacking of residential facilities and conveniences, failing sports spaces for young people.
Conclusion
The comparison of the research findings with the theoretical foundations shows that the inequality of spaces in enjoying the service distribution system in the urban districts of Kashan has reduced the security and sustainability of the citizens' quality of life. Accordingly, regarding security indicators, for regions 1 and 2 being at low level of development due to the lack or reduction of development conveniences in various dimensions have caused them to have high statistics on theft and drug sales, conflicts and quarrels, etc. Whereas regions five and four are in a satisfactory condition in terms of security indicators due to their physical, economic, social and cultural structure. Therefore, the results of the investigations on the security indicators show that the crimes and violations distribution throughout the areas of Kashan city is not monotonic, and the highest amount initiates in the central (region one), north and east side of the city (region two) which enjoy the least developmental assets and subsequently moves towards the south, southeast (area three) and southwest (region four) and eventually, the amount of crimes and violations decreased in north and northwest of the city (region five) which enjoys favorable conditions regarding development levels. Meanwhile, the dispense and disperse of security indicators in Kashan demonstrate a type of spatial imbalance. Considering the population residing in the five areas of the city, the findings of the research display that, in terms of the sustainability of urban security, approximately 20.34 percent of the city's population live in the privileged areas (regions 4 and 5), 25.65 percent are in the semi-privileged area (region 3) and 54/01% of the population live in underprivileged and poor areas (regions 1 and 2).
Keywords
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