A Study of Traffic Pattern Modifications in an Urban Crime Prevention Program

A review of the defensible space crime prevention literature suggests that residential street closings or traffic modifications, while not likely to reduce the crime rate, may account for a reduction in the perception (fear) of crime. This article examines two adjacent neighborhoods in St. Louis, Missouri, one in which traffic modifications were made five years prior to this study. Part I crime data for both neighborhoods are compared over time and the results of a random survey of residents regarding their perceptions of crime is presented. The findings reveal that crime in the neighborhood where traffic flow was modified had a lower rate of increase in the crime rate than the control neighborhood. In addition, while respondents in the experimental neighborhood considered crime in their neighborhood more serious, their fear of crime was lower than in the control neighborhood.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00472352
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Wagner, Allen E
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 19-30
• Serial:
  • Journal of Criminal Justice
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Elsevier Science
  • ISSN: 0047-2352

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crime victims; Crimes; Detours; Fear; Perception; Property crimes; Residential areas; Traffic flow
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road closing
• Geographic Terms: Saint Louis (Missouri)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01084617
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 28 2008 8:10AM