NCJ Number
184599
Journal
National Institute of Justice Journal Issue: 235 Dated: March 1998 Pages: 2-9
Date Published
March 1998
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the history of public housing, summarizes some lessons learned from previous research on crime in public housing, explores the variability among public housing communities, and suggests areas for future research.
Abstract
Contextual and structural factors and several aspects of management and administration may affect crime rates in public housing. Relevant factors may include the management, the admission and eviction policies, the amount and extent of police presence and response, and tenant organizations and perceptions. Variations in physical structure and neighborhood may also have an influence. Research design issues include the unit of analysis, the selection of comparison groups, diffusion and displacement effects, event locations, apportioning effects, and measurement considerations. Data collection strategies include surveys, official records, and observations. Public housing authorities, police records, injury surveillance data, and tenant/resident surveys each have specific features and limitations as data sources. Research also needs to recognize the variety of public housing residents, including long-term residents, distressed families, working-class loners, and residents who are coping but isolated. Reference notes