NCJ Number
44197
Date Published
1975
Length
79 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCREASED STREET LIGHTING AND THE OCCURRENCE OF NIGHTTIME CRIME IN TWO POLICE ZONES IN NEW ORLEANS, LA., IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
THE HIGH INTENSITY STREET LIGHTING PROJECT, PART OF NEW ORLEANS' LEAA-FUNDED TARGET AREA CRIME SPECIFICS PROGRAM, WAS AIMED AT REDUCING NIGHTTIME CRIME (ARMED ROBBERIES, BUSINESS BURGLARIES, AUTO THEFTS, STRANGER-TO-STRANGER STREET CRIMES) THROUGH INSTALLATION OF 400-WATT MERCURY VAPOR LAMPS OF 23,000 LUMENS INTENSITY. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT IS ASSESSED ON THE BASIS OF CRIME DATA FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL, CONTROL, AND ADJACENT AREAS. THE EFFECT OF THE NEW HIGH-INTENSITY LIGHTS IS FOUND TO BE NEGLIGIBLE IN THE 9 MONTHS FOLLOWING INSTALLATION. PATTERNS OF OFFENSES BEFORE AND AFTER INSTALLATION OF THE LIGHTS ARE NOT APPRECIABLY DIFFERENT. ALLOCATION FOR THE STREET LIGHTING PROJECT WAS $99,282; ACTUAL EXPENDITURES WERE COSIDERABLY LESS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT FUTURE STREET LIGHTING PROJECTS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SUCH FACTORS AS PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, MOBILITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT. IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT THE INSTALLATION OF SPECIAL LIGHTING BE CLOSELY RELATED TO A THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED CRIME REDUCTION MODEL. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED.