NCJ Number
60788
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A RESEARCH PROJECT TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE WEST GERMAN FEDERAL POLICE TO DETERMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ARCHITECTURE IS OUTLINED.
Abstract
WEST GERMAN STATISTICS SHOW A DISPROPORTIONATE PERCENTAGE OF OFFENSES COMMITTED IN CITIES WITH OVER 500,000 INHABITANTS, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WITH NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HIGH RISES. IN TESTING A HYPOTHETICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, THE FEDERAL RESEARCH PROJECT GOES BEYOND THE PIONEER CONCEPT OF 'DEFENSIBLE SPACE' (NEWMAN): I.E., IT EXPLORES ARCHITECTURE THAT ENCOURAGES SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR AND DISCOURAGES CRIMINAL INCLINATION RATHER THAN ARCHITECTURE THAT IS EASILY DEFENDED AGAINST CRIME. TWO VARIABLES ARE EXAMINED IN TERMS OF THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE CRIME RATE: (1) THE DEGREE TO WHICH ARCHITECTURE ENCOURAGES NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS AND (2) THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT IN A PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT. ACCORDINGLY, THE STUDY IS BASED ON FOUR HYPOTHESES: (1) ISOLATIONIST ARCHITECTURE AND LOW COMMUNITY SPIRIT CORRESPOND TO A HIGH CRIME RATE, (2) INTEGRATIVE ARCHITECTURE AND HIGH COMMUNITY SPIRIT ARE RELATED TO A LOW CRIME RATE, (3) ISOLATIONIST ARCHITECTURE AND HIGH COMMUNITY SPIRIT ARE RELATED TO A LOW CRIME RATE, (4) INTEGRATIVE ARCHITECTURE AND LOW COMMUNITY SPIRIT ARE RELATED TO A HIGH CRIME RATE. AS YET THERE IS NO DEFINITE DESIGN TO TEST THESE VARIABLES. AMONG OTHERS, THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING, SECURITY MEASURES, EXISTENCE OF COMMUNITY ROOMS AND LOCATION OF THE BUILDING MIGHT SERVE AS INDICATORS WITH REGARD TO THE VARIABLE 'ARCHITECTURE.' IT IS FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO JUDGE THE VARIABLE 'COMMUNITY SPIRIT,' BUT THE FOLLOWING INDICATORS MIGHT BE INCLUDED: INFORMATION FLOW BETWEEN NEIGHBORS, OTHER FORMS OF NEIGHBORLY CONTACT, FLUCTUATION OF THE POPULATION, AND FEAR OF CRIME. THE STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN TWO SEPARATE AREAS EACH IN MUNICH AND REGENSBURG. A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)