CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH TOWN-PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE - INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON (INCLUDING SOCIAL STRUCTURE) - SYNOPSIS AND OUTLOOK IN UNITED KINGDOM (FROM URBAN PLANNING AND CRIME, 1979 - SEE NCJ-60799)

• NCJ Number: 60785
• Author(s): R V G CLARKE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Bundeskriminalamt
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: West Germany (Former)

Annotation

BRITISH STUDIES AND PROJECTS CONCERNED WITH FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO VANDALISM ARE REVIEWED, AND CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN ABOUT THE CRIME-PREVENTIVE VALUE OF DEFENSIBLE SPACE FEATURES IN PUBLIC HOUSING.

Abstract

TWO OF THE STUDIES ASSESSED VANDALISM IN COUNCIL HOUSING ESTATES (PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS) IN LONDON. BOTH FOUND VANDALISM TO BE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL COMPOSITION, PARTICULARLY CHILD DENSITY. VANDALISM WAS RELATIVELY LOW IN ESTATES WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE PRACTICES, ESPECIALLY WHERE RESIDENT MANAGERS WERE PRESENT. DEFENSIBLE SPACE FEATURES, SUCH AS LARGE PUBLIC SPACES UNPROTECTED BY RESIDENTS' SENSE OF TERRITORIALITY, HAD AN EFFECT ON THE EXTENT OF VANDALISM, BUT NOT AN OVERRIDING ONE. TWO STUDIES OF DAMAGE TO TELEPHONE KIOSKS IN LONDON AND SHEFFIELD FOUND VANDALISM TO BE GREATEST IN COUNCIL ESTATES. OVERLOOKING WINDOWS AFFORDED LITTLE PROTECTION AGAINST DAMAGE TO THE KIOSKS. OF TWO ATTEMPTS TO REDUCE VANDALISM IN COUNCIL ESTATES BY MAKING CHANGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEFENSIBLE SPACE CONCEPTS, ONE SUCCEEDED. HOWEVER, THE SUCCESS WAS ATTRIBUTED LESS TO DEFENSIBLE SPACE MODIFICATIONS THAN TO IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNITY SPIRIT AND IN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TENANTS AND THE LOCAL COUNCIL. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, WHILE DEFENSIBLE SPACE CONCEPTS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN PREVENTING VANDALISM, GREATER IMPROVEMENTS FOR COUNCIL ESTATES MAY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH BETTER MANAGEMENT.