Experimentally Examining the Effects of a Neighborhood Intervention to Reduce Theft in Multiple City Neighborhoods

Abstract

Property crime and theft are a priority concern in many communities, and costs in the United States are more than 17 billion dollars annually. Research has shown that multiple environmental change strategies implemented at the neighborhood level, such as increased lighting and reduced traffic flow, can reduce rates of property crime. This dissertation uses a multiple baseline design to experimentally examine the effects of a comprehensive set of crime control interventions on rates of theft in four neighborhoods. Two neighborhoods received the full intervention package, a combination of neighborhood and city-wide elements; and two received a partial intervention package consisting of only the city-wide elements. Results showed a reduction in thefts following implementation of the neighborhood (and city-wide) intervention. When implemented as a package, these interventions brought about more marked reductions in property crime. Systematic replication of this neighborhood intervention across additional contexts should be conducted to further explore the generality of these findings. This study adds to the emerging evidence base for how community-determined interventions can help enhance local crime prevention efforts.