NCJ Number
64734
Journal
CRIMINAL JUSTICE MANAGEMENT Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (!979) Pages: 6-11
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUILDINGS AND NEIGHBORHOODS MAY PREVENT CRIME THROUGH CREATING DEFENSIBLE SPACE, OR THE APPEARANCE OF A SOCIAL FABRIC THAT DEFENDS ITSELF.
Abstract
TO DISCOURAGE VANDALISM, BURGLARY, AND OTHER CRIME, BUILDINGS AND NEIGHBORHOODS MUST SEEM TO BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THOSE WHO OWN OR LIVE IN THEM. BUILDING AND NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN AND PLACEMENT ARE RELATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD SECURITY BECAUSE PROPER APPEARANCE NOT ONLY DISCOURAGES CRIMINALS, BUT ALSO MAKES RESIDENTS MORE COHESIVE AND WILLING TO TAKE JOINT ACTION TO PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. HOWEVER, MULTIFAMILY APARTMENT BUILDINGS ERECTED OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS DISCOURAGE COHESION. SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, PRESENTS MANY EXAMPLES OF DESIGN PROMOTING OR DISCOURAGING CRIME. IN SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING NEIGHBORHOODS, BURGLARIES OCCUR LESS OFTEN WHERE SIDEWALKS, CURBS, WALLS AND SHRUBBERY CLEARLY DELINEATE PUBLIC FROM PRIVATE SPACE AND ENABLE NEIGHBORS TO WATCH EACH OTHER'S PROPERTY. STRANGERS IN SUCH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE DISCOURAGED FROM INTRUDING INTO CLEARLY DELINEATED PRIVACY. HOWEVER, COMMERCIAL AREAS IN SPRINGFIELD ARE NOT SO CAREFULLY PLANNED, SINCE THESE AREAS CHANGE WITH THE DEMAND FOR GOODS AND SERVICES. COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOODS WITH AN AGING APPEARANCE AND MUCH NIGHTTIME ACTIVITY ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE. OTHER COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOODS WHOSE BUILDINGS, PARKS, AND STREETS ARE NOT PLANNED AS A COHERENT WHOLE SUPPER SIMILAR PROBLEMS. SCHOOLS, PLANNED HASTILY TO RESPOND TO POPULATION GROWTH, HAVE BEEN BUILT ON ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE SITES THAT INVITE VANDALISM BY BEING PHYSICALLY ISOLATED FROM HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. FINALLY, ALREADY DEFENSIBLE SPACE, SUCH AS OPEN TOWN SQUARES, MAY BE RENOVATED IN A THOUGHTLESS MANNER, CAUSING PROBLEMS THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)