Gerontological Perspectives on Crime and Nuisance

Abstract

This paper investigates the perceptions of the elderly in relation to crime and nuisance and the fear of crime associated with stereotypical British housing designs. Demographically, this diverse though highly urbanized group continues to grow; group members' observations, therefore, have increasing social relevance and political importance and are crucial for assessing and informing both current policy and the evolution of future policy initiatives. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) has become popular once again in America, Australia, Canada, South Africa, as well as in Europe and Britain. A crucial dimension to this theory concerns the perception of “territoriality,” “surveillance,” and “image” within the design of the built environment derived from Newman's “Defensible Space” concepts (1973). This paper presents and discusses the ways in which the elderly associate crime and nuisance with a range of traditional housing designs. The findings strongly reinforce Newman's theory. The paper concludes that the design and, perhaps more importantly, the management of residential housing influence the perceived levels of crime, nuisance, and fear of crime, and the “defensible” qualities of each specific design. Such perceptions will arguably affect elderly people's ability to maintain their privacy, dignity, and autonomy, their physical and psychological well-being, and their social inclusion. Policy implications for housing the elderly safely within the community are reviewed.