Criminological reflections on the Golden Rule and urban stewardship for safety

Abstract

This public policy essay discusses the various criminological facets of the Golden Rule in the context of urban stewardship – the concept which emphasizes the role of the protection of the environment as a part of people’s natural habitat. Among these facets the right to safety in the Global North cities experiencing the influx of refugees and other migrants from the Global South deserves critical attention. It invites the question how to operationalize that right to the mutual advantage of such newcomers and native residents. In a broader socio-economic context of reducing inequalities promoted by the 2016-2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, the findings which suggest that both groups of residents appreciate a clean and safe habitat, and, finally, against the background of terrorist attacks in the Global North cities, the author of the essay advances the thesis that urban stewardship programmes/projects embracing concerned residents may be helpful to strengthen the feeling of safety in the cities.