NCJ Number
58639
Date Published
1979
Length
96 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE PRETESTING PHASE OF A STUDY OF DEFENSIVE SPACE AND REPORTS ON STUDIES OF UNINCARCERATED OFFENDERS, SITE PHOTOGRAPH PRODUCTION, AND PRETESTING VARIOUS MEDIA FOR SITE REPRESENTATION.
Abstract
THE FIRST STUDY INVESTIGATES WHETHER OFFENDERS TO BE CONSULTED FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO FEATURES OF THE ENVIRONMENT TO BE COVERED IN THE OVERALL STUDY ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF UNINCARCERATED OFFENDERS. MEMBERS OF A STREET GANG, SIX YOUNG HISPANO-AMERICANS AND ONE EVEN YOUNGER AND RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED ANGLO WERE INTERVIEWED IN CONFIDENCE TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE LIKE AND HOW THEY CARRIED OUT THEIR CRIMES. THESE SUBJECTS PROVIDED ANECDOTAL MATERIAL CONCERNING THEIR METHODS OF OPERATION AND RELATIONS WITH FENCES AND DRUG DEALERS, AS WELL AS IDIOSYNCRATIC PREFERENCES OR SUPERSTITIONS, A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF WHICH IS PRESENTED. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT DATA COLLECTED FROM INCARCERATED OFFENDERS WILL BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HABITS AND PREFERENCES OF UNINCARCERATED OFFENDERS. THE SECOND STUDY DESCRIBED THE PROCEDURES USED IN PHOTOGRAPHING THE CONTROLLABLE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES TO BE EVALUATED IN THE PRETESTING AND DATA COLLECTION PHASES OF THE OVERALL STUDY. THE PROCEDURES WERE AIMED AT MAKING THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES EXPLICIT AND THE PORTRAYALS REPRESENTATIVE. SOME OF THE FEATURES WERE OTHER NEARBY BUILDINGS, SYMBOLIC AND REAL BARRIERS, ALLEYS, ACCESS WAYS, AND PLACES OF CONCEALMENT. PAIRED PHOTOGRAPHS WERE USED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FEATURES. THE THIRD PART OF THE STUDY PRETESTED THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND SLIDES ON 19 HALFWAY HOUSE DETENTIONEES AND 18 CITIZENS. THESE PERSONS WERE SHOWN THE PHOTOGRAPHS BRIEFLY AND ASKED TO GIVE THEIR RESPONSES AS TO WHETHER THE PORTRAYED FEATURE WAS A GOOD PLACE TO COMMIT A CRIME OR WHETHER THE CITIZENS WOULD FEEL SAFE AT SUCH A LOCATION. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED, AND APPENDIXES COVER FIELD INFORMATION, INTERVIEW PROCEDURES, AND TESTING MATERIALS. FOR RELATED DOCUMENT PLEASE SEE NCJ 58640. (TWB)