NCJ Number
60792
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF CRIME TO URBAN DESIGN IS EMPHASIZED, AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES THAT INCLUDE INTERACTION BY THE POLICE, SOCIETY, AND URBAN DESIGNERS ARE RECOMMENDED.
Abstract
FROM A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW, EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE POINTING TO A SIMPLE CONNECTION BETWEEN CRIME AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (ESPECIALLY PARTICULAR ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES) REMAINS INCONCLUSIVE--FOR EUROPE AT LEAST. AN ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION OF THE RELATION WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE A VARIETY OF FACTORS: FOR EXAMPLE, DEVIANT BEHAVIOR MAY APPEAR IF A POPULATION HAVING CONFLICTS AND PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT LIVE IN A LIMITED SPACE, IN A CONDITION OF LONELINESS, ISOLATION, AND LACK OF ORIENTATION, OR IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF REDUCED NEIGHBORLY CONTROL IN WHICH OFFICIAL ORGANS OF CONTROL ARE LACKING OR INACTIVE. WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK, URBAN PLANNING MAY OFFER ASSISTANCE IN CRIME PREVENTION. ACCORDINGLY, THREE TYPES OF MEASURES ARE SUGGESTED. PRIMARY PREVENTION WORKS ON THE LEVEL OF LARGE-SCALE URBAN DEVELOPMENT INFLUENCING SUCH FACTORS AS THE CHOICE OF ARCHITECTURE, THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION, AND THE SIZE OF AN ESTABLISHMENT. SECONDARY PREVENTION OPERATES ON THE LEVEL OF SOCIAL SERVICES INCLUDING AN INCREASE IN SOCIAL WORKERS AND COUNSELING AND TREATMENT FACILITIES. THE IMMEDIATE MEASURES OF TERTIARY PREVENTION ARE LIMITED: IMPROVED LIGHTING FACILITIES ON STREETS AND PARKING LOTS, BURGLARY ALARMS, SECURITY LOCKS, POLICE PATROLS ETC. IN SUMMARY, CHANGES IN URBAN PLANNING MUST BE CONSIDERED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF OTHER SIGNIFICANT CRIME FACTORS. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)