NCJ Number
68883
Date Published
Unknown
Length
34 pages
Annotation
A PRELIMINARY PLAN FOR IDENTIFYING AND ANALYZING CORRELATES BETWEEN THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN STREET BEHAVIOR IS PRESENTED IN A REPORT BY THE SCHOOL OR ARCHITECTURE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.
Abstract
AN LEAA-FUNDED PILOT PROJECT WAS UNDERTAKEN BY THE URBAN RESEARCH GROUP, SCHOOL OR ARCHITECTURE, THE CITY COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, BASED UPON THE ASSUMPTION THAT CHANGES IN THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF A LARGE METROPOLITAN AREA INFLUENCE URBAN STREET BEHAVIOR AND STREET CRIME. THIS REPORT COVERS THE FIRST FOUR OF THE SIX ORIGINAL PROJECT STEPS: (CONCEPTUALIZATION OF PROJECT COMPONENTS; COLLECTION OF DATA ON DESTRUCTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE STREET ACTIVITIES AND ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE PROJECT SITE; DETERMINATION OF CORRELATION BETWEEN THE WAY PATTERNS OF ACTIVITY CHANGE OVER TIME, AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR PHYSICAL SETTINGS; AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW STREET ACTIVITIES INTO EACH PROJECT WHICH EMBODIES THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESES. NO DEFINITE FINDINGS OR CONCLUSIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT FOR FAILURE OF THE TWO LAST STEPS OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN (RE-ANALYZE AND EVALUATE) TO BE APPROVED BY THE SPONSORING AND FUNDING AGENCY. THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESES ASSUMES THAT PARTICIPATION BY PEOPLE USING THE STREETS IN DECISIONS AFFECTING THEIR IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT WOULD REDUCE STREET CRIME; IF THE ENVIRONMENT COULD BE EASILY CHANGED IN ITS MAKEUP TO RESPOND TO CHANGING BEHAVIOR, GOALS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE STREET-USING PEOPLE. THE CONCEPTUALIZATION TASK INCLUDED DEFINITIONS OF: DESTRUCTIVE ANTISOCIAL STREET BEHAVIOR; CONSTRUCTIVE NON ANTISOCIAL STREET BEHAVIOR; AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT. THE PAPER IS ILLUSTRATED WITH DRAWINGS AND GRAPHS AND PROVIDES TABULAR DATA.