Title

Crime, New housing, and housing incivilities in a first-ring suburb: Multilevel relationships across time

Publication Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

4-2004

Abstract

Concepts deriving from criminology, housing policy, and environmental psychology are integrated to test two ways that housing conditions could relate to crime in a declining first-ring suburb of Salt Lake City. For existing housing, we use a model to test whether housing incivilities, such as litter and unkempt lawns, are associated with later crime. For new housing, we test whether a new subdivision on a former brownfield creates spillover reductions in nearby crime and incivilities.

Police-reported crime rates were highest for residences near the brownfield and lowest for those farther away. After the subdivision was constructed, this linear decline disappeared, reflecting less crime adjacent to the new subdivision, but also more crime farther away. A multilevel analysis shows that incivilities, particularly litter and unkempt lawns on the block, predict unexpected increases in crime. Both brownfield redevelopment and reductions in incivilities may be important ways to improve declining suburban areas.

Keywords

Community development and revitalization, Crime, Urban policy

Discipline

Business

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Housing Policy Debate

Volume

15

Issue

2

First Page

301

Last Page

345

ISSN

1051-1482

Publisher

Taylor and Francis

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