This article is the first in a new series that profiles CSSI researcher affiliates. These profiles reveal the person behind the research, spotlighting their personal and academic trajectories and what they love about conducting research. Continue reading to learn how James Wo connects city design to crime levels.

In the 90s, James Wo found himself glued to the electric video game SimCity, creating his own sprawling and vibrant metropolis.

Today, Wo, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology and researcher affiliate at the Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI), explores cities offline – examining how the design of communities impacts the level of crime.

While Wo can retrospectively see how SimCity foreshadowed his current research interests, he entered undergraduate unsure of his trajectory.

This was until a sociology course and honors project at UC Irvine convinced Wo that sociology – specifically sociological research – was the right fit for him.

Wo went on to earn a master’s in social ecology and a PhD in criminology from UC Irvine, before arriving at the University of Iowa.

While many criminologists study why people commit crimes, Wo studies why some places have disproportionate amounts of crime. Wo wants to understand how the physical and social environment can be used to reduce crime.

For instance, in recent work, Wo found that neighborhoods with more vegetation experienced fewer crimes than neighborhoods with less vegetation, all else being equal. According to the authors, this may be because green spaces, such as parks, bring neighborhoods together and allow residents to create social networks. These social connections facilitate the spread of information about crime in the neighborhood, potentially mobilizing efforts to stop further occurrences.

Although Wo’s research has highlighted the larger social structures and inequities that contribute to crime, he emphasizes the importance of timely changes in the built environment (such as green spaces, gates, speedbumps, and streetlights) to have the most immediate effect on reducing crime.

In his work, Wo also balances the reality that opportunities for criminal activity – such as downtown business districts – are essential for economic and social vibrancy.

“You may want cities to look like downtown Iowa City, where there’s a cultivation of different people and businesses. However, with foot traffic, comes a lot of criminal opportunities to exploit people or property,” Wo points out.

While Wo is aiming to conduct his research in Iowa City (current data restrictions from the small population are a hurdle), he finds personal value in the people who call the city their home.

Wo, who grew up on Oahu, Hawaii, particularly draws parallels between the welcoming and tolerant hospitality of the Pacific island and land-locked Iowa City.

CSSI has especially provided him with a place of friendship, which has led to further academic connections and research collaborations. Through CSSI, he has participated in research incubation programming, frequented workshops, and gained new interdisciplinary advice.

“I think it’s important for scholars to think about different ideas, not just your own discipline’s. The city and university are very welcoming of different backgrounds and it’s a very good place for learning and scholarship,” Wo says.

To learn more about CSSI’s researcher affiliate program, please visit our website.

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