Hot Spots of Bus Stop Crime: the Importance of Environmental Attributes

This study focuses on bus stop crime and seeks to identify the environmental attributes that can affect the bus rider's security while at the bus stop. Using crime data for the years 1994 and 1995 made available by the transit division of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the study discusses some general characteristics of bus stop crime. Following the argument of criminologists that certain place characteristics can affect the incidence of crime, the study employs qualitative research methodology (observation, mapping, interviews and surveys) to examine in detail the physical and social environment around the ten most dangerous bus stops in Los Angeles. It finds an abundance of "negative" environmental attributes and a general lack of "defensible space" elements. It also finds that different types of crime tend to occur under different environmental conditions. The paper discusses design responses as an approach to crime prevention at bus stops. Introduction Crime and fear of crime affect many aspects of everyday life in our cities. Without question, ample reasons justify people’s deep-felt concerns about crime. The US has the highest rates of violence anywhere in the world (Currie, 1985), with homicides “from four to twelve times higher than in other countries.” (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1992). In 1990, 2.3 million Americans said they had been victims of violent crime (Friedman 1993, p.451). Even though experts assure us that crime rates have actually declined over the last few years, studies show that fear of crime among the general public is running high. Especially in inner city neighborhoods, fear of crime dictates life (Leavitt and LoukaitouSideris, 1995). It holds the elderly hostage in their own homes, prevents people from using public transportation, forces merchants to close their shops early, discourages investment, thereby increasing the cost of living, working, or operating a business. Studies of Los Angeles inner city corridors found that crime was the prominent concern of residents in the area (Loukaitou-Sideris 1994 and 1997a). Over the past two decades many criminologists have argued that a crime must be viewed as an event that occurs at a specific site in a specific situation (Brantingham and Brantingham, 1993b, 1991,