PUBLIC HOUSING SECURITY AND THE ELDERLY - PRACTICE VERSUS THEORY (FROM CRIME AND THE ELDERLY - CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE, 1976 BY JACK GOLDSMITH AND SHARON S GOLDSMITH SEE NCJ-39177)

• NCJ Number: 39189
• Author(s): D P VANBUREN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: D C Heath and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AUTHOR COMPARES AGE INTEGRATED AND AGE SEGREGATED HOUSING PROJECTS ON THE BASIS OF SUCH FACTORS AS BUILDING SECURITY AND ELDERLY RESIDENTS' FEELINGS OF SAFETY, AND CONCLUDES THAT AGE SEGREGATED HOUSING IS MORE SAFE.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR FOUND THAT OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN AGE SEGREGATED HOUSING HAD MORE CONTACTS WITH OTHERS, HAD LESS FEAR OF CRIME, AND USED MORE INFORMAL CRIME PREVENTION METHODS THAN ELDERLY RESIDENTS OF AGE INTEGRATED HOUSING. HE CLAIMS THAT THE SEGREGATED HOUSING PROJECTS MAY BE A KIND OF 'DEFENSIBLE SPACE' IN WHICH RESIDENTS DEVELOP A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND AN ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND CHALLENGE INTRUDERS. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT AGE SEGREGATED PUBLIC HOUSING SEEMS PROACTIVELY TO ANTICIPATE THE CRIME PROBLEM BY CONSTRUCTING A SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT THAT REDUCES THE PROBABILITY OF THE CRIMINAL EVENT. NOT ONLY DOES IT APPEAR TO OFFER A MORE SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE ELDERLY BUT IT SEEMS SIMULTANEOUSLY TO REDUCE SOME OF THE SOCIAL ISOLATION AND ANONYMITY OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUBLIC HOUSING WAY OF LIFE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...DMC