CRIME IN PUBLIC HOUSING - A REVIEW OF MAJOR ISSUES AND SELECTED CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGIES, VOLUME 1 - A REPORT

• NCJ Number: 66418
• Author(s): W V ROUSE; H RUBENSTEIN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 111 pages
• Contract Number(s): H-2855
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Housing and Urban Development
• Corporate Author: American Institutes for Research
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT PRESENTS A LITERATURE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES APPLICABLE TO BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOUSING.

Abstract

THE LITERATURE REVIEW FOCUSES FIRST ON PHYSICAL FACTORS RELATED TO CRIME, DISCUSSES SOCIAL FACTORS MOST COMMONLY MENTIONED AS CONTRIBUTORS TO CRIME, AND CONCLUDES WITH A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF SEVERAL GOVERNMENT AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES THAT MAY AFFECT THE LEVEL OF CRIME IN AND AROUND PUBLIC HOUSING. PHYSICAL FACTORS INCLUDE LACK OF SURVEILLANCE; INADEQUATE LOCKS, DOOR AND WINDOW FRAMES, AND ALARMS; LACK OF ACCESS CONTROL; LACK OF CLEARLY DEFINED AREAS AND PHYSICAL FACILITIES ON PUBLIC HOUSING GROUNDS; EXISTENCE OF CONFLICTING USES ON PUBLIC HOUSING GROUNDS; INADEQUATE CIRCULATION PATTERNS AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND FACILITIES. SOCIAL FACTORS INCLUDE A LACK OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, PROPRIETARY INTERESTS, ADEQUATELY TRAINED SECURITY PERSONNEL; AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYMENT. GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL PUBLIC MANAGEMENT POLICIES THAT MAY AFFECT THE LEVEL OF CRIME ARE INADEQUATE AND UNSTABLE FUNDING, INEFFECTIVE COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND INEFFECTIVE ANTICRIME MANAGEMENT POLICIES. FIVE PARTICULAR APPROACHES TO CRIME PREVENTION ARE REVIEWED WHICH USE A BROAD RANGE OF PHYSICALLY AND SOCIALLY-ORIENTED CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGIES. EACH APPROACH IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF SEVERAL ELEMENTS, SUCH AS ITS USE OF DATA, MAPPING TECHNIQUES, AND OTHER SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH METHODS IN ANALYZING THE PROBLEM; ITS DISCUSSION OF SHARING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CRIME REDUCTION ACTIVITIES AMONG KEY GROUPS (RESIDENTS, SECURITY AND POLICE STAFFS, AND HOUSING MANAGEMENT STAFFS); AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT ADDRESSES THE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS SUGGESTED IN THE LITERATURE. THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT TWO ELEMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM: A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS AND A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF APPROACHES DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. FIGURES ARE PROVIDED. FOR THE SECOND VOLUME OF THIS REPORT, SEE NCJ 66419. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)