NCJ Number
79712
Date Published
1981
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The effectiveness after 13 to 24 months of the Home Security Program in Portland, Oreg., which provides free locks and security hardware installation to low-income homeowners in designated neighborhoods, is assessed.
Abstract
The program is designed to reduce burglaries particularly among elderly homeowners. Its site-hardening activities involve installing double cylinder deadbolt locks, pinning windows, and placing wire screens on windows, as well as recommending lighting and landscaping improvements. The evaluation is based on Columbia Region Information Sharing System records of reported forced-entry burglaries for 260 homes site-hardened during July-December 1978. A previous evaluation showed a decrease in the number of burglaries 1-12 months after site-hardening. These findings indicate that the site-hardening program is having a positive effect on decreasing the burglary rates for participating homes. Only three forced-entry burglaries were reported in the survey period and the burglary rate was reduced 70 percent between the pre-site-hardening period and the post-site-hardening period. Most forcible entries resulted from the homeowner's failure to comply with recommended site-hardening techniques (e.g., failure to install or lock deadbolt locks and failure to install basement window screens). Only one entry was due to deficiencies in site-hardening materials. Seven references and a table are supplied.