[Durham INC] Fw: CRIME AND LIGHT

[Deborah Christie]

It may be that the Interneighborhood Council will want to address the issue of artificial light and crime.  See link below for interesting information about how best to use light (and not use light) to fight crime yet not waste energy and create light pollution.

Deb Christie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Deborah Christie 
To: Butch Clark ; Tom Parker 
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2010 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: CRIME REPORTS


Dear Officer Clark,

Thank you and all the members of the Orange County Sheriff's Department for your hard work on our behalf to fight crime.

I appreciate your regular tips and alerts.  However, I hope you will re-consider the recommendation below to "leave on your porch light from dusk to dawn" to reduce crime. The following link summarizes evidence about crime and lighting and advises to leave on lights INDOORS rather than outdoors.

See:  http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/crime.html.  

Thanks again for all of the efforts of the Orange County Sheriff's office to fight crime in Orange County.

Deb Christie, resident
Piney Mountain subdivision, off Mt. Sinai Road
5212 Twin Pines Lane

Excerpts from  http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/crime.html:

How lighting can aid crime
The majority of crime occurs either in daylight hours or beneath artificial lights. Here are some possible explanations as to why this is the case.

  a.. Crime usually occurs where or when there are few (if any) witnesses, and so the lighting levels are irrelevant. 
  b.. Lighting can highlight potential targets ("easy pickings"), security lapses and even escape routes - in short, light can help criminals be quick and quiet. 
  c.. Lighting can help criminals see what they are doing, minimising any risk to themselves. 
  d.. Over-powered lights, shining outwards, can hide criminal activity with glare (see our floodlights page), providing ideal cover for a burglar at night by blinding potential witnesses. 
  e.. PIR activated floodlights are so frequently triggered that they are ignored by neighbours 
Advice & conclusions
 
  a.. Always consider the possibility that installing a light may actually aid criminal activity 


  b.. If you need lighting to help yourself see what you are doing, ensure that you point your lights downwards to avoid blinding onlookers and potential witnesses. 


  c.. Use low powered lighting. According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, security CCTV cameras that are used day and night work the best if the light contrast between the bright foreground and the dark background is less than 4 to 1, otherwise the CCTV images are dominated by glare. 


  d.. The Government's Home Security/Crime Reduction website states "The form of lighting currently found on the overwhelming majority of domestic locations is a 250 or 500 watt tungsten halogen floodlight controlled by a movement sensor (passive infra-red, PIR). This is unfortunate, as in many locations this is the most inappropriate form of lighting available." 


  e.. If you go out at night, leave lights on indoors instead of outdoors. Research into what motivates burglars by Bennett and Wright (1984) concluded, after interviews with 300 experienced burglars, that their main concern was whether or not the premises were occupied. As mentioned above, a survey by the UK Home Office "Decision-making by house burglars: offenders' perspectives" (available at the Home Office website; or download the pdf) showed that the belief that a house was occupied was the most off-putting to a potential burglar. Outside lighting did not figure in their list of possible deterrents. If an indoor light is on then there is a risk of somebody being at home, but outdoor lights do not state anything about the occupancy of a house. 


  f.. The Institution of Lighting Engineers, the UK's premier guideline body for lighting professionals and companies, concludes in its Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Light Pollution that for most domestic tasks, the 150w full cut off floodlight correctly positioned with no light spillage is the maximum wattage needed, and indeed recommends lower wattages. 


  g.. Martin Morgan-Taylor, of the Law Department of de Montfort University, notes that "Lights in secluded areas are just that: nobody can see what the criminal is doing, and he has a courtesy light to illuminate his activities" So consider whether highlighting an area with light will cause more harm than good. Consider a completely dark environment; someone flashing a torch around will create far more suspicion in the minds of witnesses than someone moving in a lit environment." 
Much better research is needed to quantify the effect of light on crime, and higher scientific standards are required - especially as large amounts of money are spent on street-lighting in the hope of a reduction in crime.

Lighting should not be installed in the hope of crime being reduced. Crime will only decrease with lighting if quality surveillance will exist at the same time.




When installing lighting, ask: "Who will these lights aid the most? Criminals or witnesses?"

Remember that lighting and dark-skies need not be mutually exclusive - the use of modern efficient full cut-off lamps can light our streets well, yet make our skies darker.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Butch Clark 
  To: Tom Parker ; Butch Clark 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2010 11:09 AM
  Subject: CRIME REPORTS


  CRIME REPORTS:

   

  HILLSBOROUGHJ AREA:

  ****Break in to locked Cell Tower reported 11/02/10, 10:24 am, 6516 Hebron Ch. Rd, near Alamance Co. 27302

      Copper wire and plate stolen, value $1,000.00

   

  ****Break in to locked residence reported 11/02/10,1:05 pm, 820 Oakdale Dr. 27278

      Yamaha 6 string Guitar, unknown brand 12 string Guitar, WII Gaming system, WII Controler and charger, assorted games

      Fire Safe, Diamond earrings stolen, value $2,760.00t

       

   

  5 Ways to Be A Good Neighbor

  Here are five things you can do to make your neighborhood better and safer.

  Be...

  1

  Keep your home well-maintained. Your home's appearance improves the overall quality and value of your neighborhood. Pick up after your pet and keep your property free of garbage and debris. If you want to be really considerate, carry a garbage bag with you next time you go for an evening stroll and pick up any trash you see along the way. People are less likely to litter in a clean neighborhood. Park your car in your driveway/garage, not on the street or in front of your neighbor's house. 

  Open House

  2

  Leave your porch light on from dusk until dawn. Crime tends to decline in neighborhoods that are well lit. Turning on porch lights is a simple way to start this process. It also makes the street feel more welcome to residents and invited guests and communicates a higher level of caring for the neighborhood by residents.

  Organize a neighborhood watch if you don't already have one. Drive slowly through neighborhoods and watch out for children. Know where neighborhood children belong, so you can help in an emergency.

  Safe

  Smart

  Don't invite crime into your neighborhood. Think about your home, your car and even your lifestyle, and ask what you could change to take away the opportunity for crime. Make sure you lock the doors to your home and vehicles and don't leave valuable items out in the open. If you see any suspicious or criminal activity in your neighborhood, report it-don't assume that somebody else will. 

  4

  Knowing your neighbors is the best way to fight neighborhood crime. A simple smile and "hello" opens the door to communication and can make it much easier to resolve any disputes that may arise. It's nice to know you can depend on those around you and they can depend on you- but that can't happen if you don't know your neighbors. Talk to your elderly neighbors- you can learn a lot from older neighbors and they might enjoy your company as well.

  Friendly 

  5 

  To get to know your neighbors better and develop a sense of unity, help organize events in your neighborhood such as a block party, BBQ, garage sale, etc. Share resources and knowledge you have gained from work or other community involvement. Get involved in your neighborhood association and attend meetings so you can know what is going on.

  Involved 

  Deputy Butch Clark

  Crime Prevention Officer
  Orange County Sheriff's Office
  106 East Margaret Lane
  Hillsborough, NC 27278
  919-644-3050 Office
  919-732-6403 Fax

  It's not what a person does that's important but what they accomplish along the way... A. Griffith



   
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