Natural Surveillance

Crime Prevention and Commercial Burglary: A Time Series Analysis - David B. Griswold

Ordinary people going about their everyday business can help prevent crime. Passersby often notice something suspicious or criminal activity and report it to the police. For natural surveillance to be effective, the area in and around the business must be visible to others.

This case study looks at the impact of crime prevention measures on commercial burglary in a specific area of Portland, Oregon. The study considered the impact of street lighting and security surveys on commercial burglary. The security surveys were given to businesses and had recommendations such as turning on inside and outside lights at night, installing alarms, and displaying crime prevention stickers. In addition to the surveys, street lights were installed in the area. The number of commercial burglaries for the area with the security surveys and lighting were then compared to the rest of the city.

The combination of the security surveys and street lighting significantly reduced commercial burglaries in the area. Since the area and businesses are well-lit, potential burglars are deterred.

For more information about this case study, click here.

For examples of Natural Surveillance in New Jersey, click here.

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