Part 1, Chapter 2, The Uses of Sidewalks: Safety Summary and Analysis

Streets and sidewalks have other purposes than use by vehicles and people. They functions as borders between buildings. Streets and sidewalks are the most important part of a city. A city is considered dangerous when its population does not feel safe on its streets or sidewalks. When the streets and sidewalks are considered unsafe, the people use them less which leads to the streets and sidewalks being more unsafe. This does not occur only in the slums but in other areas that are considered upper class areas. At the same time, some slum neighborhoods have some of the safest streets.

Jacobs contends that peace on the streets and sidewalks is not a function of the police. The keeping of the peace has to do with the people as a...