Safety and security of cities depends on governance
The safety and security of cities depend on understanding urban problems and addressing them.
Urban population by its very nature is heterogenous, socially, economically, culturally, and in many other ways. While many may like to lead a decent and honest life, many out of compulsion stoop to dishonest means, and many because of greed show their depravity and depradations in several ways.
It is not so much the needy who add to the insecurity of cities as the greedy and disorderly, who often form the underbelly of the cities. The most important requirement for safe city life is honest and efficient urban governance. This does not happen in most places because of the vicious nexus and vicious circle among politicians, business classes, middle-men, fixers, criminals, and what have you.
Another important requirement for developing safe cities is limiting the ostentatious accumulations and assets of the city denizens. Let us say, how many cars one family should have, how many flats one family should have, how many bungalows one family should have, and what should be the ceiling on salary, expenses, and wealth.
Such urban restraints can be through social campaigns and legislative actions. One classic example: When the poor are struggling for living space, leave alone other basic amenities, we in India have Raj Bhavans and Rashtrapati Bhavans occupying thousands of acres of land.
Worst still, the governments allot bungalows to politicians such as Lalu Yadav to accommodate not only the products of his precreative prowess - when last counted nine - from Lalu-Rabri, but also their eccentricities - 200 cows, buffaloes, and other livestock - in Lalu's case.
If our politicians can set standards for themelves through austerity, simple living, and concern for others, other things will fall in place, and cities will be better and safer places.