Urban Social Deprivation (SL IB Geography)

• There is significant inequality in urban areas both in HICs and LICs
• In many areas groups and areas are experiencing social deprivation
• Social deprivation can be defined as people or communities lacking access to the resources they need to have a reasonable quality of life
• In the UK social deprivation is measured on the index of multiple deprivation which measures deprivation using measures of:
  • Income
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Housing and services
  • Environment

Cycle of deprivation

• The cycle of deprivation occurs when poverty is passed from one generation to the next
• The limited resources of one generation mean that the next generation's opportunities are limited
  • Parents can't afford or access educational resources, which disadvantages their children
• The educational disadvantages mean that educational attainment is lower and this affects job prospects
• Lower standards of living and low incomes affect health and well-being

Barcelona

• Barcelona has a population of over 5.7 million people
• The highest levels of deprivation in Barcelona are located in:
  • El Raval which is an inner city area with old, substandard housing 
  • Can Peguera is situated at the city edge 
    • It is one of a number of estates of social housing built in the 1960s
• Deindustrialisation in the 1970s and 1980s led to unemployment in Barcelona reaching 20%
  • Leading many areas to become rundown and derelict
• The areas of deprivation have a number of features in common, including:
  • Low and very low incomes
  • Higher than average unemployment
  • Higher than average numbers of single-parent families
  • Lower levels of educational attainment
  • Higher incidence of crime and anti-social behaviour

• Crime rates are higher in urban and industrial areas
• Much crime is concentrated in areas of high population densities
  • The exceptions to this are crimes such as fraud and sexual offences, which are more common in areas of low population density
  • The wealthier areas see car theft, kidnapping, and property damage
• Within urban areas, crime rates tend to be higher in areas of social deprivation
  • Crime is partly due to a lack of job opportunities and large-scale unemployment
  • Gangs and intimidation are more likely to rule in areas of social deprivation
  • Rates of vandalism, burglary and vehicle crimes are higher in more deprived areas
• Crime hotspots are areas where crime rates are particularly high
• These areas often have similar characteristics, including:
  • Easy access and lack of security 
  • Higher numbers of offenders
  • High levels of residential buildings
  • A lack of services
  • A lack of a police station

Managing urban crime

• There are several ways to reduce urban crime, including:
  • Increased police presence
  • Use of CCTV 
  • Improved street lights
  • Women only taxis
  • Greater number of taxi services around closing time of clubs and bars
  • Zero tolerance of crime