Situational Crime Prevention Evaluation Database
This is a collection of articles reporting evaluations of situational crime prevention initiatives. The collection is intended to facilitate research and assist practitioners in finding studies relevant to their current needs. It includes a complete bibliographical listing of studies with links to full text versions (where available).
To download a more expansive summary of each initiative, click here.
| Title | Citation | Results |
|---|---|---|
| City of Atlanta Bureau of Police Services: Target Hardening, Opportunity Reduction Project: Final Report | Touche Ross & Co. (1976). City of Atlanta Bureau of Police Services: Target Hardening, Opportunity Reduction Project: Final Report. Atlanta, Ga.: Touche Ross & Co | Awareness of media campaign was 86% among businesses and 64% among households. Seventy (70) percent had taken atleast one security precaution as a result of the campaign. |
| Performance of Campus Parking Garages in Preventing Crime | Tseng, C-H., J. Duane and F. Hadipriono (2004). “Performance of Campus Parking Garages in Preventing Crime.” Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities 18(1):21-28 | In the 2 years following the implementation of CPTED improvements, the average annual incidence of crime in the parking garage where the CPTED improvements had been made fell by more than half of the average annual incidence of crime in that same garage for the four years before the improvements were made. |
| Crime Prevention That Works: The Care of Public Transport in the Netherlands | Van Andel, H. (1988). Crime Prevention That Works: The Care of Public Transport in the Netherlands. The Hague: Research and Documentation Centre, Netherlands Ministry of Justice. (#182) | Fare evasion dropped in all systems studied in one estimate by 17 percent; victimization incidents fell and vandalism decreased slightly but to a lesser extent than fare evasion and crime incidents. |
| Situational Prevention of Public Disorder at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix | Veno, A., and E. Veno (1993). “Situational Prevention of Public Disorder at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.” In R.V. Clarke (ed.), Crime Prevention Studies, Vol. 1. Monsey, N.Y.: Criminal Justice Press | The program resulted in reduced incidents of violence and arrests and improved public satisfaction with police. |
| A Study of Traffic Pattern Modifications in an Urban Crime Prevention Program | Wagner, A. (1997). “A Study of Traffic Pattern Modifications in an Urban Crime Prevention Program.” Journal of Criminal Justice 25(1):19-30 | Crime rose slightly post street closing but at a lower rate than comparison neighborhood (11% versus 29%). Resident perceptions of safety in targeted area were positive. |
| Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: The School Demonstration in Broward County, Florida | Wallis, A., and D. Ford (1980b). Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: The School Demonstration in Broward County, Florida. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice | Over the period of evaluation, incidents of theft and assault were significantly reduced. |
| Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: The Commercial Demonstration in Portland, Oregon | Wallis, A., and D. Ford (1980a). Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: The Commercial Demonstration in Portland, Oregon. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice | Over the period of evaluation, the average monthly commercial burglary decreased 48%. Residential burglary in adjacent areas where no intervention took place was reduced 14%. In addition, the local businessmen's perception of area safety improved. |
| Steering Column Locks and Motor Vehicle Theft: Evaluations from Three Countries | Webb, B. (1997). “Steering Column Locks and Motor Vehicle Theft: Evaluations from Three Countries.” In R.V. Clarke (ed.), Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case Studies. 2nd ed. Guilderland, N.Y.: Harrow and Heston | Data from three countries show that overall motor vehicle theft rates either reduced or stabilized after anti-theft device legislation and agreements became effective, and that this effect was sustained over long periods. British data suggest that these locks have had most effect on the more casual takings of motor vehicles for temporary use. |
| Preventing Plastic Credit Card Fraud in the UK | Webb, B. (1996). “Preventing Plastic Credit Card Fraud in the UK.” Security Journal 7(1):23-25 | Overall fraud losses were reduced by 41 percent following implementation. Losses steming from point of sale frauds decreased 49 percent. |
| Reducing Crime on the London Underground: An Evaluation of Three Pilot Projects | Webb, B., and G. Laycock (1992). Reducing Crime on the London Underground: An Evaluation of Three Pilot Projects. Crime Prevention Unit; Paper 30. London: Home Office | These pilot crime prevention projects have met with variable success. The Oxford Circus project does not appear to have reduced crime. The Clapham North-Tooting Broadway project did reduce robbery (-85%), although the contribution of events which took place independently of the project such as policing and publicity has to be recognised. There is no evidence of any change in how safe passengers feel when using the pilot stations. |
| Target Hardening at a New York City Subway Station: Decreased Fare Evasion – At What Price? | Weidner, R. (1996). “Target Hardening at a New York City Subway Station: Decreased Fare Evasion – At What Price?” In R.V. Clarke (ed.), Preventing Mass Transit Crime. Crime Prevention Studies, Vol. 6. Monsey, N.Y.: Criminal Justice Press | Compared with nearby control stations, arrests and summonses for fare evasion at 110th Street did decline and levels remained constant while they continued to steadily increase in comparable stations. Rider perceptions of safety also improved. |
| Policing Drug Hot Spots: The Jersey City Drug Market Analysis Experiment | Weisburd, D., and L. Green (1995). “Policing Drug Hot Spots: The Jersey City Drug Market Analysis Experiment.” Justice Quarterly 12(4):711-735 | Found significant reduction in disorder related calls for service with no signs of displacement. Rather, diffusion of benefit to surrounding areas was found. |
| Bedford Park Break and Enter Dwelling Trial of a Multi-Faceted Crime Prevention Approach: Project and Evaluation Report | West, J. (2001). Bedford Park Break and Enter Dwelling Trial of a Multi-Faceted Crime Prevention Approach: Project and Evaluation Report. Mitcham & Unley, South Australia: Cities of Mitcham and Unley Crime Prevention Program | Residential breaking and enterings were significantly reduced, target displacement was found as a 56 percent increase in theft from autos was observed in the area |
| Focus on Robbery: The Hidden Cameras Project, Seattle, Washington | Whitcomb, D. (1979). Focus on Robbery: The Hidden Cameras Project, Seattle, Washington. An Exemplary Project. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice | Businesses with the hidden cameras were compared to a control group of sites without the cameras. Evaluation of the project demonstrates, with a high degree of confidence, that the hidden cameras effectively increased clearances, arrests and convictions for commercial robbery |
| Problem-Oriented Policing: Operation Mantle – A Case Study | Williams, P., P. White, M. Teece and R. Kitto (2001). “Problem-Oriented Policing: Operation Mantle – A Case Study.” Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 190. Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology | Drug related offenses did not decrease but they did stabilize during operations halting the previous increasing trend. |
| Reduction of Telephone Vandalism: An Australian Case Study | Wilson, P. (1990). “Reduction of Telephone Vandalism: An Australian Case Study.” Security Journal 1(3):149-154 | Situationa tactics reduced the cost of vandalism from A$18.25 million in 1987-1988 to A$9 million in 1988-1989. |
| An Evaluation of the Neighborhood Watch Program in Thunder Bay | Worrell, P. (1984). An Evaluation of the Neighborhood Watch Program in Thunder Bay. Ottawa: Solicitor General Canada | The results of the study indicated that the program was successful in substantially reducing the occurrence of residential property crime (a 67% decrease) and, in particular, eradicating the occurrence of household yard property theft - formerly the principal property crime problem. |
| The Impact of Street Lighting on Crime | Wright, R., M. Heilweil, P. Pelletier and K. Dickinson (1974). The Impact of Street Lighting on Crime. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan | Crimes of violence—robbery and assault—were significantly deterred, while crimes against property were largely unaffected. Prior to relighting, crime rates in blocks with commercial activity were considerably higher than in blocks with residential activity. Following relighting, crime decreased in these commercial blocks somewhat faster than in the residential blocks. |
| Crime Stoppers Victoria: An Evaluation. Technical and Background Paper | Challinger, D. (2004). Crime Stoppers Victoria: An Evaluation. Technical and Background Paper; No. 8. Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology | The rate of calls leading to arrest was 1.9 compared to 1.0 of a comparison system. Also, the program had considerable public support and was cost effective at a return that was 5 times that of direct investment. |
| Blow and Go: The Breath-Analyzed Ignition Interlock Device as a Technological Response to DWI | Fulkerson, A. (2003). “Blow and Go: The Breath-Analyzed Ignition Interlock Device as a Technological Response to DWI.” American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 29(1):219-235 | This 3-year recidivism study of the ignition interlock revealed 17.5% recidivism rates for the interlock group compared to 25.3% recidivism rates for the non-interlock group, a 31% decrease. |
| Combating Crime and Citizen Attitudes: A Study of the Corresponding Reality | Lewis, E., and T. Sullivan (1979). “Combating Crime and Citizen Attitudes: A Study of the Corresponding Reality.” Journal of Criminal Justice 7(1):71-79 | Study did not look at impact of streetlighting on crime, rather focused on citizens attitudes. Post street lighting attitudes of police and government were mixed and many preceptions decreased. Ultimately, calls into question street lighting as method of responding to citizens concerns. |
| Driving Crime Down: Denying Criminals the Use of the Road | PA Consulting Group (2004). Driving Crime Down: Denying Criminals the Use of the Road. London: PA Consulting Group | Under the program a total of 180,543 cars were stopped leading to 13,499 arrests. Not found cost effective as only recovered 10% of direct cost incurred. |
| Crime Stoppers: A National Evaluation of Program Operations and Effects | Rosenbaum, D., A. Lurigio and P. Lavrakas (1987). Crime Stoppers: A National Evaluation of Program Operations and Effects. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. (#202) | Collectively, they have solved 92 thousand felony crimes, recovered 562 million dollars in stolen property and narcotics and convicted more than 20,000 criminals. Best suited for solving cases with few leads; Cost effective as 1 felony was solved for every $73.00 spent in caller reward money. Funded mostly by private donations, not taxpayers |
| Mandating Interlocks for Fully Revoked Offenders: The New Mexico Experience | Roth, R., R. Voas and P. Marques (2007). “Mandating Interlocks for Fully Revoked Offenders: The New Mexico Experience.” Traffic Injury Prevention 8(1):20-25 | Only 11 (2.5%) of the interlock offender group were rearrestedfor DWI while interlocks were installed, whereas 1,017 (8.1%) of the comparison group were rearrested during an equivalent 322-day period. Regression analysis revealed a 65% reduction in recidivism among treatment group which remained constant thereafter at a 4 year followup. |
| Crime Prevention: An Evaluation of the National Publicity Campaign | Van Dijk, J., and C. Steinmetz (1981). Crime Prevention: An Evaluation of the National Publicity Campaign. The Hague: Netherlands Ministry of Justice | Surveys revealed an increase in victim precautions taken during the two years of the campaign. Yet, this varied across populations. |
| Public awareness and auto-theft prevention: getting it right for the wrong reason | Wortley, R., R. Kane, and F. Grant (1998). Public awareness and auto-theft prevention: getting it right for the wrong reason. Security Journal, (#245) | It was found that the campaign coincided with an immediate reduction in the incidence of auto-theft. The reduction in thefts may have come about through an increased perception of risk the campaign generated among potential car thieves, rather than by precautions taken by victims. |
| Public Awareness and Auto-Theft Prevention: Getting It Right for the Wrong Reason | Wortley, R., R. Kane and F. Gant (1998). “Public Awareness and Auto-Theft Prevention: Getting It Right for the Wrong Reason.” Security Journal 10(2):59-64 | While car thefts did significantly decrease in post period, survey findings revealed a low level of precautionary action taken by victims, suggesting impact may be result of deterence of offenders rather than securing by potential victims. |
| Crime Displacement in King's Cross | Young, T., S. Hallsworth, E. Jackson and J. Lindsey (2006). Crime Displacement in King's Cross. London: Centre for Social and Evaluation Research, London Metropolitan University | Drug crime reduced by 75 percent, street robberies declined 47 percent and vagrancy decreased 86 percent. Displacement was observed but was not total. |
| Alley-Gating Revisited: The Sustainability of Resident's Satisfaction? | Armitage, R., and H. Smithson (2007). “Alley-Gating Revisited: The Sustainability of Resident's Satisfaction?” Internet Journal of Criminology. (#207) | The results suggest that the positive impacts on perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour, and experience of crime and anti-social behaviour have been maintained over a four year period in Liverpool. |
| Effects of Ignition Interlock License Restrictions on Drivers With Multiple Alcohol Offenses: A Randomized Trial in Maryland | Beck, K. H., Rauch, W. J., Baker, E. A., and Williams, A. F. (1999). Effects of Ignition Interlock License Restrictions on Drivers With Multiple Alcohol Offenses: A Randomized Trial in Maryland. American Journal of Public Health | Participation in the interlock program reduced offenders' risk of committing an alcohol traffic violation within the first year by about 65% |