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Can a tree help prevent crime? It just might. Two new studies, led by US Forest Service researchers, took a closer look at urban green space in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Youngstown, Ohio. In each of these cities, adding green space to crime-ridden areas helped reduce crime rates, the researchers found.
種樹可以預防犯罪嗎？有可能哦。美國林務局研究員做的兩項最新研究仔細調查了費城、巴爾的摩和俄亥俄州揚斯敦的市區綠化情況。研究人員發現，在這三個城市中，在治安糟糕的區域增加綠化面積可以有效減少犯罪率。
In 2000, Philadelphia launched a program to plant vegetation along roadways to help soak up rainwater. Researchers looked at 52 of these vegetation plots and compared them with control plots that didn't receive the greenery upgrade. After tracking 14 types of crime in nearby areas, researchers found that narcotics possession in those areas decreased by 18 to 27 percent, even as the rate for the rest of the city rose by 65 percent.
2000年，費城啟動了一個項目，在道路兩旁種植綠化帶吸收雨水。研究者們觀察了52處綠化點，與沒有進行綠化改造的對照區進行對比。在追蹤了附近14種犯罪手段之后，研究者發現，這些區域的毒品持有量下降到27%，下降了18個百分點，盡管這一數字在城市的其它地區還上漲了65個百分點。
Michelle Kondo, a social scientist and lead researcher with the forest service, speculated the increased presence of city trucks and vans in the landscaped areas—for planting and maintenance—was enough to deter illicit activity.
林務局首席研究員、社會學家米歇爾·近藤推測，在這些區域負責綠化和養護的市政車輛增加，有效阻止了違法活動。
A similar effect was noted in Youngstown, Ohio—a depressed Midwestern town known for its high rates of crime and unemployment. From 2010 to 2014, city officials embarked on a project to reclaim some of the city's empty lots and derelict buildings by converting them into green space. In 2011, they added another initiative that gave local communities funding to plant green space in vacant lots in whatever method they chose—lawns, community gardens, playgrounds and more.
在俄亥俄州的揚斯敦也發現了類似的情況。這是一座經濟蕭條的中西部城市，以高犯罪率和失業率聞名。從2010年到2014年，政府開啟了一項回收城市空地和無主建筑的計劃，把這些區域改造成綠地。2011年，他們又啟動了一項綠地基金計劃，鼓勵當地民眾以各種形式綠化空地——無論是草坪、社區花園、運動場還是其它。
When Kondo and her team compared crime around these vegetation plots with undeveloped plots in nearby areas, they found the areas around new green spaces had lower crime rates than elsewhere in the city. Interestingly, the crime reduction was different depending upon the type of green space that was developed. For example, lots that were planted with grass and maintained by contractors saw a reduction in property crimes such as theft and burglary, whereas community-maintained plots saw a sharp reduction in violent crime. This suggests that different types of green space could be developed to deter certain types of crime.
近藤和她的團隊對比了這些綠化區域和附近未綠化區域的犯罪情況，發現新綠化區域的犯罪率比城市其它地區的犯罪率低。有趣的是，開發的綠地類型不同，所減少的犯罪類型也不同。比如，種植了草坪并由承包商維護的綠地，周圍盜竊和入室行竊之類的財產犯罪就減少了，而由社區維護的綠地附近，暴力犯罪大幅下降。這就表明可以通過開發不同類型的綠地來阻止特定類型的犯罪活動。
Kondo's study collaborates another forest service study conducted by researcher Morgan Grove on the link between lawn care and crime in downtown Baltimore. Grove's study looked at the level of lawn maintenance in 1,000 residential yards throughout Baltimore County. His team looked at everything from tree cover to litter to the presence of garden hoses. Not surprisingly, Grove found that well-maintained lawns were linked to lower crime rates than lawns that were given less care.
與近藤的研究相合作的林務局另外一項研究中，研究員摩根·格魯夫研究了巴爾的摩市中心犯罪率與草坪維護情況之間的關聯。他調查了整個巴爾的摩郡1000戶人家院子的草坪維護情況。他的團隊查看了所有細節，包括林木植被、垃圾和花園的澆水管。果然，格魯夫發現，維護良好的草坪周圍的犯罪率比維護欠佳的草坪周圍的犯罪率要低。
It's tempting to use income as the connection. After all, if you have the time and money to water your lawn, you probably live in a neighborhood that sees less crime. But Grove argued that the greenery itself helped to deter crime, by announcing to would-be criminals that there are "eyes on the street" that care for their neighborhood and would be more likely to report a crime.
當然你很容易把這個與收入聯系起來。畢竟，如果你有時間和金錢為草坪澆水，那么你很有可能住在較為安全的社區。但是格魯夫認為，是綠化本身減少了犯罪，綠地是一種宣示，警告潛在的罪犯“街上有眼睛”照看著社區，并且發生了犯罪會更有可能上報。
The takeaway from these two studies is that urban green space may help to deter crime and could be a useful tool in city-wide crime prevention policies. We already know greenery is beautiful to look at and can help improve mood and health while reducing pollution. Now we can add crime-fighting to the list of vegetation's many benefits.
這兩項研究的重要發現是，城市綠地有助于阻止犯罪，可以作為整個城市預防犯罪政策的有力工具。我們已經知道，綠色植物既養眼，又有助于改善情緒、提升健康狀況、減少污染。現在我們又可以給植物的種種好處再加上一條“打擊犯罪”。
Need a better reason to plant a tree?
這難道還不是種樹的最好理由嗎？
