NCJ Number
56467
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
EFFECTS OF THE CREATION OF HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN WEST GERMANY AND POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CONTROLLING HIGH CRIME RATES, ARE OUTLINED.
Abstract
FOREIGN EXPERIENCE WITH THE EASILY BURGLARIZED APARTMENTS AND STORAGE AREAS OF HIGH-RISE APARTMENT BUILDINGS LED WEST GERMAN POLICE AT AN EARLY DATE TO WARN THAT FURTHER CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH DWELLINGS FOR STATUS ALONE WOULD ATTRACT FURTHER CRIMINAL ELEMENTS, WITHOUT AVAIL. EVEN THOUGH STUDIES SHOW THAT HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF PEOPLE IN SMALL SPACES TRIGGER AGGRESSION, GERMAN SOCIETY HAS TENDED TO FAVOR MIGRATIONS TO HIGH DENSITY SUBURBS, WITH THE RESULT THAT INNER CITY AREAS, ONCE THE CENTER OF ACTIVITY, HAVE BEEN ABANDONED TO BUSINESS, WHILE MOST OF THE POPULATION LIVES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY WITH UP TO 500 FAMILIES PER BUILDING. LIFE IN THE HIGH-RISES IS CHARACTERIZED BY CRIME-INDUCING ANONYMITY AND ISOLATION; DESTRUCTION OF TRADITIONAL VALUES, COMMUNITY SPIRIT, AND FAMILY TIES; AND PLANNING OF TIME BY THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. HIGH-RISE INHABITANTS ARE TYPICALLY FROM LOWER CLASS OR RURAL BACKGROUNDS AND HAVE MANY CHILDREN WHO HAVE NO OUTLET FOR THEIR NORMAL ENERGY SO THAT THEY TURN TO VANDALISM. THE CHANGED LIFE STYLE IS REFLECTED IN A SHARP INCREASE IN THE JUVENILE CRIME RATE. OVER 220,000 CHILDREN ALREADY LIVE IN SPECIAL HOMES FOR DELINQUENTS. THE SITUATION CAN ONLY BE REMEDIED BY RESTRUCTURING URBAN PLANNING, UNDERTAKING MEASURES AGAINST THE DISSOLUTION OF SOCIAL VALUES, STUDYING OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS AS WELL AS THE GEOGRAPHY OF CRIME, PROVIDING FACILITIES IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS TO FILL HUMAN NEEDS (E.G., PLAYGROUNDS, PARKS, SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION), LIMITING THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES PER LIVING AREA OR FLOOR AND THE HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS, IMPROVING LIGHTING, AND REGULATING THE AGE STRUCTURE OF RESIDENTIAL HIGH RISES. THE HUMAN BEING, NOT TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT, SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF FUTURE CITY PLANNING. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)