Public investments play a critical role. Recreation, particularly for youth, is important to quality of life, and also affects crime. Spending for incarceration of juveniles increased 35 percent from 1987 to 1993. Some policy experts believe that recreational facilities should be considered an investment in our own security, and in the health and stability of our cities. Fear of crime significantly limits people's freedom and behavior.
Parents are afraid to let children play freely outside.
People, particularly women, use public transportation less frequently if they are afraid to walk to the nearby transit stop. People spend less time outdoors in recreational areas. Proactive programs, such as community policing strategies that actively involve police officers in neighborhood life, are bringing a new spirit of partnership to crime prevention. Community policing is grounded in the partnerships forged among residents, neighborhood businesses, and local police. In New York City, significant reductions in the crime rate have been partially attributed to community policing strategies.