NCJ Number
18773
Date Published
1969
Length
29 pages
Annotation
AFTER PROVIDING A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF URBAN DESIGN AND EARLIER METHODS OF CRIME CONTROL, CURRENT THEORIES ON THE CAUSES OF URBAN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND URBAN DESIGNS WHICH MAY BE USED TO CONTROL CRIME ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE GROWTH OF CITIES AND URBAN CRIME IS TRACED FOR EARLY CIVILIZATIONS, MEDIVAL CITIES, COLONIAL CITIES, AND CITIES OF THE EIGHTEENTH AND NINETEENTH CENTURIES. HISTORICALLY, THREE ENVIRONMENTAL APPROACHES TO CRIME CONTROL ARE NOTED: ARRANGEMENT OF URBAN FOR AND ACTIVITY, USE OF PROTECTIVE DEVICES, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT. CURRENT TRENDS IN URBAN VIOLENCE ARE OUTLINED. THE AUTHOR REVIEWS SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS OF VIOLENCE RELATED TO THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING PSYCHOLOGICAL, ANTHROPOLOGICAL, ETHOLOGICAL, AND SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS. MODERN ANTI-CRIME MEASURES SUCH AS SURVEILLANCE DEVICES, SHIELDED ENTRANCES, ALARM SYSTEMS, AND SAFETY DEVICES ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT MODERN CITIES ARE RETURNING TO THE HISTORICAL ANTI-CRIME MEASURES OF URBAN DESIGN, AND WILL CONTAIN SUCH FEATURES AS FORTIFIED 'SAFE' LIVING UNITS WITHIN THE CITY; AREAS OF UNCONTROLLED AND UNCONTROLLABLE CRIME; SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS PROTECTED BY RACIAL AND ECONOMIC HOMOGENEITY AND DISTANCE FROM HIGH CRIME GROUPS; AND INDIVIDUAL FORTICATION AGAINST CRIME.