NCJ Number
47011
Date Published
1979
Length
112 pages
Annotation
A STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW ON THE IMPACT OF STREET LIGHTING ON CRIME AND THE FEAR OF CRIME IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE REPORT, WHICH IS BASED ON A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PAST AND ONGOING STREET-LIGHTING PROJECTS, DOCUMENTS A NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM PHASE I STUDY. THE HISTORICAL AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF STREET LIGHTING IS TRACED, ISSUES RELEVANT TO STREET LIGHTING AND CRIME ARE REVIEWED, AND AN EVALUATION FRAMEWORK FOR THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STREET-LIGHTING PROJECTS IS DEVELOPED. A SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF EVALUATION STUDIES IN STREET LIGHTING IS PRESENTED, AND DESIGN FOR THE EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL STREET-LIGHTING PROJECTS IS OUTLINED. GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE ABOUT STREET LIGHTING AND CRIME ARE IDENTIFIED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES ARE OFFERED. THE REPORT POINTS TO THE LACK OF RELIABLE, UNIFORM DATA AND TO THE INADEQUACY OF EVALUATION STUDIES ON STREET LIGHTING AND CRIME. IT IS NOTED THAT, WHILE THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT STREET LIGHTING AFFECTS THE LEVEL OF CRIME, THERE IS A STRONG INDICATION THAT INCREASED LIGHTING DECREASES THE FEAR OF CRIME. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT RESEARCH FOCUS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIGHT AND CRIME AT THE MICRO AND MACRO LEVELS, AND THAT EVALUATION ACTIVITIES CONCENTRATE ON ASSURING THE UNIFORMITY AND COMPARABILITY OF DATA ON THE IMPACT OF STREET LIGHTING. A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE FULL FINAL REPORT OF WHICH THIS IS A SUMMARY, SEE NCJ-47010. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)