Bogotá in the labyrinth: Why does social disconnection fuel insecurity?

The insecurity in Bogotá is not only a problem of crime, it is also of social cohesion. According to the Encuesta de Convivencia y Seguridad Ciudadana del DANE (2023), 83.8% of the inhabitants of the capital feel insecure. The damaged public spaces, the lack of community interaction and the debilitamiento del tejido social have turned the city into a place where the perception of insecurity is a daily experience. And we study los planteamientos by Paul Martin en “Rules of Safety: Staying Safe in a Risky World”we understand that security doesn’t just depend on the police or cameras, it involves all the strategies that connected and resilient communities have come to understand.

Zones como San Victorino reflect the impact of insufficient urban policies to deal with crime. Before the year-end period, las autoridades intensifan controles in this sector of the city, but these measures do not involve the fight against the root causes. Estudios shows that cohesive communities are less prone to violence. In Bogotá, without the embargo, the lack of safe public spaces and social fragmentation increased the perception of insecurity and real risks.

Robert Muggah, expert in urban security, international development and resilient ciudades design, points out that social cohesion is key to reducing urban crime. Ciudades como Medellín and São Paulo have demonstrated how the revitalization of public spaces and the strengthening of community networks transform violent realities. In Bogotá, disconnected barrios, abandoned parks and a sense of isolation reflect a crisis of social cohesion that impacts security.

At social cohesion is not only a goal, but in an environment to improve security. Connected neighbors are more likely to cooperate, report crimes and participate in community activities. Sin embargo, there is a need for urban policies centered on people and not only on crime control.

Ciudades como Barcelona and Medellín offer inspiring examples. Barcelona, ​​with its supermanzanas, created safe spaces for pedestrians and fostered community interaction. Medellín transformed barrios marginales with electric escaleras, libraries and parks to strengthen social cohesion.

Bogotá, on the other hand, pursues long-term planning. Models like crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), which integrates urbanism and security, could be key. Investing in social infrastructure and accessible public spaces is crucial to reducing crime.

San Victorino is an example of los desafíos de la ciudad. It is the commercial sector that faces insecurity due to the lack of effective control and urban deterioration. Operatives temporales como los navideños do not solve problems such as social exclusion, unemployment and the devaluation of public space.

El estado de los parks and markets is another alarming theme. Espacios that should be meeting points are now risk areas. It limits community interaction, further weakens the social fabric and affects quality of life.

Part of the solution to the insecurity problem in Bogotá involves social integration, more police resources. It is necessary to address las causas sociales and urbanísticas that perpetúan la criminalidad and el miedo. Bogotá can get out of the labyrinth and rebuild the social fabric.

Security is not the only responsibility of the government, the citizen pool has a role. Caring for public spaces, participating in community initiatives and promoting interaction, promoting significant changes and revitalizing communities; as Muggah argued, security is born of resilient and cohesive communities. And Bogotá is opening a differential construction in the approach to the security of achieving an approach to the fact that this is an innovative, safe, inclusive and vibrant city.