NCJ Number
10378
Date Published
1971
Length
114 pages
Annotation
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUBWAY CRIME PREVENTION, INCLUDING PHYSICAL AND NONPHYSICAL DESIGN FACTORS.
Abstract
THE REPORT CONTAINS 31 SPECIFIC DESIGN MODIFICATIONS FOR STATIONS AND TRAINS TO ELIMINATE ASPECTS OF THE SUBWAY ENVIRONMENT WHICH ABET CRIME AND INHIBIT ITS PREVENTION. IN ADDITION, THE AUTHOR DELINEATES 16 TYPES OF CRIME AND HARRASSMENT, RANGING FROM SUCH MISDEMEANORS AS LOITERING OR DISORDERLY CONDUCT TO RAPE AND HOMICIDE. EACH IS DEFINED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF AN URBAN PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM. BASED ON THESE DATA, THE AUTHOR NOTES SIX PHYSICAL FACTORS WHICH DELIMIT THE PROBABILITY OF CRIME AND HARRASSMENT IN SUBWAYS. THESE INCLUDE - (1) SPACE AND LOCATION, (2) DISTANCE AND ACCESS TO OPEN SPACE, (3) VISIBILITY, (4) SCALE, (5) MASTERY, CONTROL, AND OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY, AND (6) CONDITIONS OF THE SURROUNDING URBAN ENVIRONMENT. THE AUTHOR NOTES 15 NONPHYSICAL ELEMENTS CONCERNING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PUBLIC, VICTIM, OFFENDER, POLICE, AND EMPLOYEES. EXAMPLES OF NON-PHYSICAL FACTORS ARE PASSENGER VOLUME AND FLOW, THE AGE OF THE VICTIM, OR THE SEX OF THE OFFENDER. THREE SURVEYS ARE RECOMMENDED TO COLLECT RELEVANT DATA CONCERNING ACTUAL INDICENTS OF CRIME AND HARRASSMENT, CHARACTERISTICS OF SUBWAY STATIONS, AND PHYSICAL AND NONPHYSICAL CONDITIONS ABOARD TRAINS. SURVEY INSTRUMENTS AND QUESTIONNAIRES ARE REPRODUCED IN THE REPORT. A FINAL SECTION INCLUDES EMPIRICAL METHODS FOR CORRELATING SURVEY DATA TO DETERMINE WHICH FACTORS ARE MOST PREVALENT DURING THE OCCURRENCE OF DIFFERENT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)