Author Question: You become the new manager of an apartment complex. The owner hires you because you are an expert in ... (Read 13 times)

strangeaffliction · **on:** Aug 24, 2018

You become the new manager of an apartment complex. The owner hires you because you are an expert in broken windows theory. In the tour of the facility the owner shows you an opening in the fence.

She explains that through the last two years, the block has been continually broken and removed resulting in an opening of about six feet across. She tells you that it started with the top course becoming loose from the juveniles hopping the fence to cut across the field to the store. She shows you an electric box right where the opening is that juveniles would use to hop over the 6-foot fence. She says that everyone was using the opening as a shortcut to the store, but now there is a nightly group of juveniles gathered around in the field next to where the opening isdrinking, smoking, and who knows what else. She tells you that tenants are complaining and are afraid to park their cars anywhere close to the fence opening. She tells you to decide whether or not to have the fence rebuilt and eliminate the opening or to build a gate into the opening. What might be some pros and cons to the two options?

Question 2

What is your awareness space? If you were going to plan a nighttime burglary right now from what you already know, where might you commit the crime? Why did you choose that particular location?

What will be an ideal response?

yasmina · **Reply #1 on:** Aug 24, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The broken windows theory posits that an area appearing to be run down and not cared for could be attractive to those involved in quality of life crimes, such as prostitution, drugs, loitering, malicious mischief, etc. The opening in the fence had been beneficial to the residents at first, but eventually became an area that tenants tried to avoid at night. If you rebuild the fence, the juveniles would likely move to another spot closer to the end of the fence, but the electric box still would remain as a boost for juveniles to hop over. The fence may begin to break down again through time. Those tenants who avoid the shortcut in the evening would also lose the option of cutting through during the day. If you choose to build in a gate, it may not accomplish enough by itself. The juveniles could still gather at night near the gate. It may take a little more than just a gate to end the problem. The gate could be locked at night, not allowing anyone access, a light could be installed that shines into the area where the juveniles enjoy their ruckus activities, and police could be called out periodically to check the juveniles out and make appropriate arrests. Sometimes just a different look won't be as effective by itself without more crime prevention strategies being included.

Answer to Question 2

Criminals likely select their targets from places they see during the course of their regular activities. People generally travel to two or three locations with regularity work, school, gym or entertainment, and home. This can be drawn on a piece of paper as a triangle or a rectangle. Businesses can be drawn along the path as potential targets. A few other places are visited with a little less frequently, such as grocery stores, friend's homes, and gas stations. There may be better places to burglarize just a little ways off of the normal path of travel, but the criminal might not know about them. Another norm is to burglarize a short distance from your own home where you may be recognized. This can vary depending on whether the perpetrator is a juvenile on foot or someone with a vehicle.