Fear of crime and perceived insecurity in the urban setting

Perceived insecurity is one of the main factors that reduce the walking rate of the residents, especially in the cities with low crime rates. This paper reviews different aspects of perceived insecurity and fear of crime in terms of the related factors and theories in the urban setting. Considering urban configuration as a certain aspect of built environment, the main theories on the relationship between urban configuration and the sense of insecurity are discussed, and finally, a hypothesis is raised on the basis of one of these theories, the theory of virtual community.