Environmental Factors and Commercial Burglary

Jack L. Nasar


DOI: 10.2190/F61L-PM79-FA5Y-C69U

Abstract

Burglary in commercial settings is an important target for crime prevention through environmental design. This study investigated the relationship of several environmental variables to reported commercial burglaries in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1979. For each X2 analysis, a random sample of burglarized facilities was cast into appropriate cells for actual values, and an equal number of randomly selected facilities was cast into appropriate cells for expected values. The analysis indicated negative relationships between commercial burglary and cleanliness, presence of vegetation, corner location, major thoroughfares, low density of stores on major thoroughfares, and closeness to major thoroughfares. In addition an interaction was found between distance to central business district and street type.

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