NCJ Number
11166
Date Published
1973
Length
218 pages
Annotation
ASSESSMENT OF SECURITY MEASURES, FOCUSING ON DETERRENTS TO BURGLARY, DISCUSSING COST EFFECTIVENESS, PHYSICAL SECURITY AND DESIGN, GROUP ACTION, AND PUBLIC POLICY.
Abstract
THE INTEREST IN RESIDENTIAL SECURITY MEASURES, RANGING FROM HARDWARE TO DESIGN ALTERATIONS, CITIZEN PATROLS, AND SOPHISTICATED INTRUSION DETECTION DEVICES, HAS GROWN WITH INCREASING CRIME RATES. THIS REPORT IS AN ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO CRIME PREVENTION IN RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS, PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM OF BURGLARY. THIS DOCUMENT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING THESE SECURITY MEASURES AND IDENTIFIES SOME OF THEIR POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT. ITS MAJOR PREMISE IS THAT THE CRIME RISK TO A GIVEN RESIDENCE IS A FUNCTION OF CRIME PRESSURE AND VULNERABILITY. THEREFORE RESIDENTIAL SECURITY IS CONTEXTUAL AND THE RISK OF CRIME TO AN AREA MAY BE LESSENED BY REDUCING CRIME PRESSURE AND THE VULNERABILITY OF THE RESIDENCE. PART ONE OF THE REPORT EXAMINES THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF SECURITY MEASURES IN TERMS OF THEIR VALUE IN, A) REDUCING THE ACTUAL RISK OF CRIME AND, B) REDUCING RESIDENTS' CONCERN AND FEAR. PART TWO CONSIDERS PHYSICAL SECURITY MEASURES AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES, INCLUDING AN OVERVIEW OF VARIOUS TYPES OF SECURITY HARDWARE AVAILABLE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL MARKET, OR WITH SOME APPLICATION TO THE RESIDENTIAL SETTING. THE FOLLOWING SECTION DISCUSSES PRIVATE GROUP ACTION IN COMBATTING RESIDENTIAL CRIME. CONCLUDING CHAPTERS DEAL WITH PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES CONCERNING RESIDENTIAL SECURITY. SOME OF THESE ARE POLICE INCENTIVES FOR SECURITY MEASURES AND COMPULSORY STATE AND LOCAL CODES. THE AUTHORS CONTEND THAT 'SECURITY DEVICES SHOULD BE SEEN AS PART OF THE CONSUMER MARKET AND THAT GREATER ATTENTION MUST BE PAID TO THE DISPLACEMENT EFFECTS OF ANY TARGET-HARDENING APPROACHES'. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)