NCJ Number
54145
Date Published
1977
Length
37 pages
Annotation
THE TARGET HARDENING PROJECT ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE BURGLARY RATES IN FOUR SEATTLE, WASH., HOUSING AUTHORITY PROJECTS BY MAKING HOUSING UNITS MORE DIFFICULT FOR BURGLARS TO PENETRATE.
Abstract
SPECIFIC HARDENING MEASURES EMPLOYED TO REDUCE BURGLARY RATES WERE INSTALLATION OF EXTERIOR SOLID CORE DOORS OR REINFORCEMENT OF EXISTING DOORS, INSTALLATION OF 1-INCH DEAD-BOLT LOCKS ON ALL EXTERIOR DOORS, PINNING OF SLIDING GLASS WINDOWS TO LIMIT THE OPENING TO LESS THAN 9 INCHES, AND CONSTRUCTION OF STUB WALLS TO PREVENT EXTERIOR ACCESS TO INTERIOR DOOR LATCHES. GOALS OF THE PROJECT, THROUGH THE USE OF THESE MEASURES, WERE TO EFFECT SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN THE NUMBER OF BURGLARIES INVOLVING FORCED ENTRY, TO INCREASE THE ARREST-PER-BURGLARY RATE, TO INCREASE THE PROPORTION OF WITNESSED BURGLARIES INVOLVING FORCED ENTRY, AND TO INCREASE THE PROPORTION OF WITNESS-IDENTIFIED AND/OR VICTIM-IDENTIFIED SUSPECTS OF FORCED ENTRY BURGLARIES. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES WERE APPLIED TO DIFFERENCES IN THE RATE OF BURGLARY OCCURRENCE BEFORE AND AFTER TARGET HARDENING. REDUCTIONS IN BURGLARY RATES RANGED FROM 44.4 PERCENT TO 59.2 PERCENT IN THE TARGET HARDENING AREAS. THERE WAS A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE BURGLARY RATE AFTER HARDENING MEASURES WERE IMPLEMENTED. HOUSING AREAS SHOWED LARGE AND SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN BURGLARIES AFTER HARDENING, AND HARDENING AFFECTED THE MODE OF ENTRY SELECTED BY BURGLARS. REPORTED RATES FOR BOTH ROBBERY AND VANDALISM WENT DOWN AFTER HARDENING, SHOWING THAT NO DISPLACEMENT FROM BURGLARY TO OTHER CRIMES WERE APPARENT. HARDENING OF THE HOUSING AREAS DID NOT DISPLACE BURGLARY INTO SURROUNDING AREAS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN ADDITIONAL DATA ON VICTIMIZATION AND BURGLARY RATES. (DEP)