NCJ Number
57875
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 71-79
Date Published
1979
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE IMPACT OF A CRIME PREVENTION PROJECT (INSTALLATION OF HIGH-INTENSITY STREET LIGHTS) ON CRIME RATES AND CITIZEN ATTITUDES IN A LOW-INCOME, HIGH-CRIME, BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD OF FORT WORTH, TEX., IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
THE STUDY TESTS TWO HYPOTHESES: THAT INCREASED STREET LIGHTING REDUCES CRIME, AND THAT SUCH A HIGHLY VISIBLE POLICY ACTION ON THE PART OF CITY GOVERNMENT IMPROVES CITIZEN ATTITUDES REGARDING GOVERNMENT, THE POLICE, AND NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY. RESIDENTS OF THE TARGET NEIGHBORHOOD WERE SURVEYED BEFORE AND AFTER THE STREET LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED IN JUNE 1973, AND CRIME STATISTICS WERE EXAMINED FOR JANUARY 1971 THROUGH MAY 1974. ALTHOUGH INSTALLATION OF THE STREET LIGHTS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A DECREASE IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THE TARGET AREA, INTERVENING FACTORS (THE LONG-TERM GENERAL DECLINE IN CRIME IN THE AREA, INTERVENING FACTORS (THE LONG-TERM GENERAL DECLINE IN CRIME IN THE AREA, THE POSSIBILITY THAT POLICE UNWITTINGLY INTENSIFIED THEIR ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA, THE LIMITED PERIOD OF COMPARISON) PRECLUDE THE INFERENCE OF A DEFINITE LINK BETWEEN INCREASED STREET LIGHTING AND REDUCED CRIME. THE ATTITUDE SURVEYS PRODUCED DISAPPOINTING RESULTS. EVEN THOUGH CRIME WAS INCREASING, CITIZENS' ATTITUDES CHANGED (SLIGHTLY) FOR FOR THE WORSE. ONE IMPLICATION OF THE FINDINGS IS THAT CITY GOVERNMENTS MUST BE CONCERNED NOT ONLY WITH ADDRESSING A CRIME PROBLEM, BUT ALSO WITH CHANGING CITIZENS' EXPECTATIONS THAT THE PROBLEM WILL NOT BE ADDRESSED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)