Flip the Streets: community-enacted public criminology and the reclamation of public space

Purpose This paper aims to introduce community-enacted public criminology as an extension to existing models of public criminology. It does so through the Flip the Streets (FLP) initiative, a participatory, arts-based response to hate graffiti that embeds criminological learning and action within communities. The paper argues that co-produced, place-based interventions constitute a necessary fourth strand of public criminology, capable of addressing the everyday harms of exclusion, fear and “ambient hate”. Design/methodology/approach Six participatory action research interventions were delivered across Swansea (2022–2024) with 140 participants (105 children and young people; 35 university students), using facilitated dialogue, criminological framing, co-produced mural design and public installation. Qualitative data (fieldnotes, observations, informal interviews and community feedback) were analysed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2012) approach. Findings Visible, creative interventions reduced fear and insecurity, strengthened belonging and generated intergenerational and institutional trust. Young people, often stigmatised in public-safety narratives, became active agents of prevention and cohesion. The analysis demonstrates how criminological concepts (e.g. harm, stigma, desistance) can be operationalised in everyday spaces to support community-led safety. Originality/value This paper advances a new fourth strand of public criminology, community-enacted public criminology, in which criminological knowledge is co-produced with communities through participatory, arts-based practice. The FLP model offers a scalable, evidence-informed framework aligned with the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan and Safer Streets priorities, providing practical guidance for local authorities and community-safety partnerships.