This paper discusses characteristics of residents' fear of crime in a high-rise apartment complex built in 1970s and provides recommendations on how to improve its safety. To. accomplish this, the researchers administered a questionnaire answered by 275 households, conducted follow-up, in-depth interviews, performed pedestrian traffic surveys and a playground-use survey. Findings identified indoor stairs and garbage dumpster areas with low natural surveillance, dark and depressing pilotises and non-residential uses (such as machine rooms and community spaces on the first floor) as structural risk factors associated with fear of crime peculiar to high-rise apartments. Added or retrofitted structures such as multi-level parking lots and lack of maintenance evidenced by overgrown plants that created blind spots also were risk factors. But, natural surveillance by passersby through the site provided a sense of security for residents in some situations and playgrounds were considered the safest spaces by residents of the nearest apartments. The evidence leads us to suggest that apartment complexes should be planned, designed and/or retrofitted so that passerby traffic maximizes natural surveillance. Further, residents should be actively encouraged to take part in maintaining open spaces to revitalize old high-rise apartment complexes. This is one viable alternative to creating gated communities.
