Environment and roads

Lighting and crime reduction

Crime and disorder generates fear. It is now recognised by the Home Office that good lighting does reduce crimes including street robbery, theft from the person and assault, theft of/from and damage to motor vehicles, vandalism and burglary. The British Journal of Criminology lists lighting as a cost-effective means of reducing crime. Its greatest benefit however, is in reducing the fear of crime.

It is known that the majority of crime is undertaken on the assumption that the offender will go unobserved and darkness provides the criminal with the cover required. Good lighting deters criminals, because the possibility that others will observe them is increased. In addition good lighting attracts people out after dark, further increasing the criminal's risk of being observed.

Crime undermines quality of life and adds to the decline and mistrust in local communities. People either tend to move away from areas or retreat into the privacy of their own homes. This leads to:

• Streets that are empty of people
• Withdrawal from communal activities
• A reduction in informal social control and surveillance
• Women and elderly people imposing their own curfew

Lighting works most effectively in conjunction with other crime prevention strategies and has some advantages over others:

• it is a visible and obvious improvement to an area
• communities experiencing crime and disorder require proof that an area is improving and lighting is a noticeable investment
• once installed it requires minimal resources to sustain
• it can increase the use of streets at night
• it benefits the most vulnerable sections of the population whose fears are highest
• it generates feeling of well being

CCTV

Closed circuit television, CCTV, is playing an increasing role in the drive to reduce crime. The effectiveness of any installation depends not only on the specification of the CCTV equipment, but also upon the lighting. The CCTV installation needs to be tuned to the lighting installation with the cameras being set up to suit the lamp type and the designed lighting levels. Only if this is done properly will the CCTV system operate effectively and produce images of a good enough quality to be used in a prosecution.
A Home Office study has shown that CCTV is less effective that good lighting in the reduction of crime and only effective where it is installed in conjunction with good lighting.