Crime Prevention and Perceptions of Residential Safety: Survey of Low Income Housing Residents
Diversey Square
(8/1997 – 12/1998)
This report describes a collaborative project between the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL) at Loyola University Chicago. The project, entitled Safety Enhanced Communities Utilizing Resident Endeavors (SECURE), was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of physical security improvements in affordable housing developments. The project began in August of 1997 and was completed in December of 1998.
Research occurred both before and after IHDA provides a grant to each building to increase security in and around the building. Residents were trained and paid to interview approximately 650 residents twice within an eight-month period ending June, 1998. Eight residents of the IL Housing Development Authority buildings served as community leaders on the project.
The research team for this study consisted of community residents and university faculty and students. Four different research methods were used to measure the impact of the security changes: interviews with property managers and janitors, interviews with residents, videotape documentation, and geographic crime analysis.
Report:
Research Team:
R. Block Sociology, Loyola University
D. Katz Graduate Fellow, Sociology
A. Gonzalez, Graduate Fellow, School of Social Work
L. Herrin, Graduate Fellow, Criminal Justice
C. Lund, Undergraduate Student
Community Partners:
The Pines of Edgewater, Northpoint, Diversey Square, and Park Apartments