Streets and Walls: Urban Form and the Fear of Walking in Bogotá

Abstract

The article analyzes how urban morphology influences theft from persons in Bogotá, highlighting the relationship between physical space, citizen perception, and the phenomenon of fear of moving through the city. The study is based on the master’s thesis “Contagiando el miedo: Inseguridad urbana como patología producida en la ciudad de Bogotá” (2021) and continues through a documentary review of academic, institutional, and press sources. The results showed that theft is concentrated in persistent hot spots, where low visibility, fragmented pedestrian continuity, and the presence of floating populations facilitate criminal opportunities. It is also evidenced that theft is not exclusively the result of socioeconomic need but, in many cases, a professionalized activity based on rational choice, in which offenders select routes, times, and techniques. Likewise, it is observed that the perception of insecurity remains high even when incident reports decrease, and that fear of moving through certain spaces—characterized by poor lighting, blind facades, or deterioration—restricts mobility and the use of public space. In conclusion, the study confirms that insecurity in Bogotá results from the interaction of physical, social, and subjective dimensions, and emphasizes that the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) provide useful tools to reduce criminal opportunities and strengthen trust in public space.