This is a program for the renovation and revitalization of public recreational spaces, which aims to build safe environments that act as a protective factor by reducing the risk of crime in public spaces. The program was based on the hypothesis that motivated criminal actors interpret dilapidated areas as an indication that state institutions are not present or are not functioning well, leading to a low probability that the offender will be caught, arrested, or punished for committing a crime, and that this would lead to a higher probability of engaging in criminal activity.
The program was specifically based on the construction of sports courts (accompanied by the deployment of security guards to control and guarantee the proper use of these public spaces) and the lighting of parks, to improve the use of these spaces by the community (especially young people), thus promoting the “implicit vigilante effect”, in order to deter criminal behavior.
Additionally, the project also aims to enhance the “organized use of free time” effect, i.e., it seeks to get school-age youth to spend more time in occupational programs. This limits the time available for involvement in illicit activities while reducing students’ exposure to violent environments.