Citizen Participation in Crime Prevention: the Case of Residential Patrols and Guards

As rising crime rates have evoked expressions of fear nationwide, citizens have become increasingly concerned with residential security measures. In response to this growing fear, one form of action undertaken by residents has been the formation of residential patrols and guards. This study examines, from an economic standpoint, who the participants are in such endeavors, and how participation varies among individuals of different economic levels. Specifically, it addresses three hypothesis posited by earlier sociological research: that persons of higher economic status are more likely to participate in formal voluntary organizations than are individuals of lowor middle-incomes; that persons of lower economic status are poor performers in organizations requiring instrumental action on the part of its participants; and that the activities in which individuals of higher incomes participate are often of natures different than those engaged in by lower income individuals. The case of participation in residential patrols and guards calls these assumptions into question. By definition, the organization of either a patrol or an administrative mechanism to hire private guards constitutes an instrumental form of activity. The fact, then, that numerous residential groups in low-income settings have formed patrols, or in some instances have hired guards, demonstrates that "disadvantaged" citizens have conducted a significant amount of partizipation in constructive activity. Also, evidence from a nationwide study of the incidence of residential patrols and guards indicates that within such activity, there appears to be differences among economic groups. That is, upper-income individuals have displayed a proclivity toward forming associations to hire security guards, while lowand middle-income citizens have been more inclined to form resident-manned patrol groups. Interviews with these individuals, however, indicate that given the financial resources, many of them would opt for a form of security protection similar to that existing in upper-income areas--which usually is surveillance services provided by private guards. The four case studies presented herein represent the exceptions, as well as the rules, to participation in residential patrol and guard activity. In Boston, Massachusetts, two sites were selected, one a middleto upperincome neighborhood in which residents perform their own patrolling, and the second, a public housing project in which guards have been hired to perform surveillance duties. In contrast, an upper-income neighborhood was chosen in New Orleans and a public housing project selected in Baltimore where residents have, in the former case, contracted for private guard service, and in the latter, have executed their own surveillance activities. Finally, suggestions are offered to practitioners involved in planning for residential security, in general, and for patrol and guard activity, in particular. Thesis Supervisor: Assistant Professor of Urban Studies and Planning (Visiting)