Effects of Improved Street Lighting on Crime: A Systematic Reviews
- ISBN-10
- 0756740517
- ISBN-13
- 9780756740511
- Pages
- 51
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2004-04
- Authors
- Brandon C. Welsh, David P Farrington
Description
This review summarizes the findings of previous studies from both the U.S. and Britain on the effectiveness of improved street lighting on crime. A meta-analysis of the eligible studies found that improved street lighting led to significant reductions in crime and with an overall reduction in recorded crime of 20% across all the experimental areas. This review assesses why street lighting has this impact on crime. The authors conclude that lighting increases community pride and confidence and strengthens informal social control. They also conclude that improvements in street lighting offer a cost-effective crime reduction measure and should be considered an important element in situational crime reduction programs. Illustrations.
