NCJ Number
79585
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This review assesses Oscar Newman's investigation of whether private (enclosed) streets have lower crime rates and higher resale values than public or open streets.
Abstract
Private streets are those where residents have created a formal association, where houses are single-family dwellings, and where streets have been blocked at one end to prevent through traffic. Public or open streets are open-ended residential through streets. The study compared adjacent public and private streets regarding variations in crime and property values at the beginning and the end of the change of a socioeconomic cycle. Three sets of streets were selected: one set of public and private streets matched on socioeconomic characteristics and two sets not matched on socioeconomic characteristics. Archival data on crime and property values were collected; structured observations were used; and interviews with residents were conducted. The study concluded that (1) private streets experience less crime than public streets; (2) private streets in high crime communities adjacent to public streets composed of different population groups have less crime than the surrounding area; (3) residents of the private streets feel their streets are considerably safer than the surrounding area; and (4) the physical closure of the private streets creates 'a sense of place' for its residents by redefining the street as a social space and encouraging interaction among residents. Neither the research design nor the data presented, however, are sufficient to support the study's conclusions or reject plausible alternative rationales to explain the findings. The differences in crime rates and resale values have not been shown to be a function of the physical design of the built environment, resident associations, or a 'sense of place' among residents.