Cities are our destiny. Visions of a non- or de-urbanizing world, while interesting and important intellectual creations of the 20th century, arIn a world where the number of young people has become the largest in history relative to the adult population, the need to take urgent and ever more innovative approaches to the problems facing them is greater than ever.e no longer credible.
Cities are our destiny. Visions of a non- or de-urbanizing world, while interesting and important intellectual creations of the 20th century, are no longer credible.
Crime does not happen spontaneously. It grows out of an unequal and exclusive society, and outof a lack of institutional and social control. Moreover, the criminal justice system, including police, courts and sons, is poorly adapted to the rapidly changing urban environment, and is unable to respond to the oncerns and needs of urban dwellers, particularly the poor.
As part of a crime survey conducted in Nairobi from April to July 2001, which indicated that youth delinquency is considered as a problem by the residents of Nairobi, a youth offender profile was carried out.
One of the most significant causes of fear and insecurity in many cities today is crime and violence. Between 1990 and 2000, incidents of violent crime per 100,000 persons increased from 6 to 8.8. Recent studies show that over the past five years, 60 per cent of all urban residents in the world have been victims of crime, with 70 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It is projected that by 2030, two-thirds of humanity will be living in towns and cities around the world. Another feature of the new urban age is that the global number of slum dwellers is now set to top the 1 billion mark.
The challenges facing cities with regards to the impacts of growing violence and insecurity are numerous and daunting. The need to address crime prevention in cities is apparent.
‘I’m a City Changer’ is the awareness-raising initiative of World Urban Campaign. It is about:
• Positive urban development
• Solutions to urban challenges
• Giving voice to cities and people to change our urban future.
