Articles
Transformation of Community Development Basedon Safety and Security:
A Case Study of the Miyamachi Security Booth Managed by a Neighborhood Organization in Sendai City
2016 Volume 67 Issue 1 Pages 89-105
Details
2016 Volume 67 Issue 1 Pages 89-105
The objective of this paper is to clarify the process and characteristics of the transformation of local development based on safety and security. For over 10 years, the governmental policies of ensuring safe and secure communities have been applied across Japan. Through the program, the first security booth, managed by a neighborhood organization, was established in Sendai City. I will focus on changes of the macro (structurization of the city) and mezzo (urban policy and police administration) structure of the city as a background to the establishment and transformation of the organization.
A city planning road, ‘Kita Yobancho Iwakiri Sen’ has been developed with the growth of Sendai City. It triggered the move of a police station from Nakae District to Saiwaicho District. The change of policies within the urban district also influenced the reorganization of the police precinct. Through the growth of the city and reorganization of the precinct, Saiwaicho District was gentrified and led to an increase in the population. On the other hand, Nakae District has become an inner city.
In this situation, a crime prevention association in Nakae District established a security booth managed by Nakae and srrounding residents. It functioned as a social welfare office for Nakae District residents. The residents could speak with each other in the booth. It established confidence in themselves despite it being considered the inner city.
However, the neighborhood organization of the Nakae District criticized the management and expenditures of the security booth. As a result, the crime prevention association rationalized the structure in order for it to be applicable to the program of safe and secure community established by the central government. I will analyze the process of transformation from a community-oriented logic of security to the security-oriented logic of association.
