U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

PUBLIC HOUSING SECURITY AND THE ELDERLY - PRACTICE VERSUS THEORY (FROM CRIME AND THE ELDERLY - CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE, 1976 BY JACK GOLDSMITH AND SHARON S GOLDSMITH SEE NCJ-39177)

NCJ Number
39189
Author(s)
D P VANBUREN
Date Published
1976
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR COMPARES AGE INTEGRATED AND AGE SEGREGATED HOUSING PROJECTS ON THE BASIS OF SUCH FACTORS AS BUILDING SECURITY AND ELDERLY RESIDENTS' FEELINGS OF SAFETY, AND CONCLUDES THAT AGE SEGREGATED HOUSING IS MORE SAFE.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR FOUND THAT OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN AGE SEGREGATED HOUSING HAD MORE CONTACTS WITH OTHERS, HAD LESS FEAR OF CRIME, AND USED MORE INFORMAL CRIME PREVENTION METHODS THAN ELDERLY RESIDENTS OF AGE INTEGRATED HOUSING. HE CLAIMS THAT THE SEGREGATED HOUSING PROJECTS MAY BE A KIND OF 'DEFENSIBLE SPACE' IN WHICH RESIDENTS DEVELOP A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND AN ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND CHALLENGE INTRUDERS. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT AGE SEGREGATED PUBLIC HOUSING SEEMS PROACTIVELY TO ANTICIPATE THE CRIME PROBLEM BY CONSTRUCTING A SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT THAT REDUCES THE PROBABILITY OF THE CRIMINAL EVENT. NOT ONLY DOES IT APPEAR TO OFFER A MORE SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE ELDERLY BUT IT SEEMS SIMULTANEOUSLY TO REDUCE SOME OF THE SOCIAL ISOLATION AND ANONYMITY OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUBLIC HOUSING WAY OF LIFE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...DMC

Downloads

No download available

Availability