VIOLENT CRIME, COLLECTIVE EFFICACY AND CITY-CENTRE EFFECTS IN MALMO

Collective efficacy, the combination of mutual trust and shared expectations for action, has been linked to crime in several studies worldwide. In the present study, it is argued that collective efficacy should be particularly relevant in relation to public environment crimes. Using data from a community survey (N = 4,051) conducted in 2012, the association between collective efficacy and police recorded public environment violent crime is studied across 96 neighbourhoods in the city of Malmo, Sweden. Besides including controls for concentrated disadvantage, ethnic heterogeneity and residential stability, the present study adds additional controls for city-centre effects in the form of alcohol outlet permits and nodes of public transportation. Results show that collective efficacy is strongly associated with violent crime in public environments.