How urban design can deter crime

In an article in The Atlantic, Elizabeth Glazer describes how lighting can help reduce crime and increase public safety. 

According to Glazer, "Darkness is indeed a good cover for crime, so better lighting can make streets safer, not just by deterring misdeeds but also by encouraging others to fill the streets with activity." A Philadelphia study found that outdoor nighttime street crimes dropped by 15% after the city installed brighter LED streetlights. 

A growing body of research indicates that urban design can shape behavior. "A growing body of research has found that the greening of vacant lots in Philadelphia was associated with a reduction in gun violence by 29 percent and overall crime by 9 percent, and the fixing of derelict buildings there coincided with a drop in gun violence by 39 percent. A six-city study that included Baltimore and Washington, D.C., found that the planting of trees was associated with a fall in gun violence by 9 percent."

For Glazer, the lesson is that effective design can be more effective — and less controversial — than other public safety tactics like increased police presence. "What’s plain is that the challenge of curbing crime to its lowest possible level and keeping it there demands all viable strategies, not just enforcement."