Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Areas Where Vulnerable Public Transit Commuters Reside: A Method for Targeting Crime Prevention and Other Resources to Address Local Area Problems

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Safety and Security in Transit Environments

Part of the book series: Crime Prevention and Security Management ((CPSM))

  • 416 Accesses

Abstract

Hart and Miethe (Chapter 11 in this volume) focused on where street robberies occur, taking proximate environments into account. In this chapter, we shift the focus from crime events and features of places to potential victims and the areas around their residences. We identify areas in which groups previously found to be vulnerable to crime victimization or fear of crime on public transit cluster in the New York City context. Reaching these vulnerable populations can be expensive if local area planners or agencies have to do all of the research by themselves, but it is easier, and less expensive, if agencies can build on existing research. One such publicly available set of information about US residents is the American Community Survey (ACS). The main purpose of the ACS is to inform policymakers about how to distribute federal and state funding to various local and state governments for infrastructure and services (USCB, 2013). Transit operators who want to provide more secure travel for passengers most in need may use the ACS to identify where commuters reside.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • American Public Transportation Association (APTA) (2007) A Profile of Public Transportation Passenger Demographics and Travel Characteristics Reported in On-Board Surveys. Washington, DC: APTA.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Public Transportation Association (APTA). (2012) Transit Ridership Report: Second Quarter 2012. Washington, DC: APTA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, L. (2004) Aging Americans: Stranded Without Options. Surface Transportation Policy Project. Washington, DC: American Public Transportation Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernasco, W. and Block, R. (2009) Where Offenders Choose to Attack: A Discrete Choice Model of Robberies in Chicago. Criminology, 47(1), 93–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernasco, W. and Nieuwbeerta, P. (2005) How Do Residential Burglars Select Target Areas? A New Approach to the Analysis of Criminal Location Choice. British Journal of Criminology, 44(3), 296–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyle, D. K. and Ouderkirk, P. E. (1993) Strategic Planning for Transit Agencies in Small Urbanized Areas. Transportation Research Record, 1402, 25–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brantingham, P. and Brantingham, P. (2008) Crime Pattern Theory. In: Wortley, R. and Mazerolle, L. (eds), Environmental Criminology and Crime Analysis. Cullompton, UK: Willan, 78–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, T., Prvu Bettger, J., Brusilovskiy, E., Wong, Y.-L., Metraux, S. and Salzer, M. S. (2013) Comparing Neighbourhoods of Adults with Serious Mental Illness and of the General Population: Research Implications. Psychiatric Services, 64(8), 782–788.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castelvecchi, D. (2011) New York City’s 20 years of Declining Crime: Two Decades of New York Police Department Crime Statistics Mapped Precinct by Precinct. Scientific American, 4 August. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=crime-new-york-city-20-years-declining-stats-maps, accessed 6 November 2013.

  • Ceccato, V. Uittenbogaard, A. and Bamzar, R. (2013) Security in Stockholm’s Underground Stations: The Importance of Environmental Attributes and Context. Security Journal, 26(1), 33–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V. (ed.) (1992) Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case Studies. Guilderland, NY: Harrow and Heston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V. and Cornish, D. B. (1985) Modeling Offenders’ Decisions: A Framework for Research and Policy. In: Tonry, M. and Morris, N. (eds) Crime and Justice: An Annual Review of Research Vol. 6. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press 147–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L. E. and Felson, M. (1979) Social Change and Crime Rates: A Routine Activity Approach. American Sociological Review, 44(4), 588–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornish, D. B. and Clarke, R. V. (2008) The Rational Choice Perspective. In: Wortley, R. and Mazerolle, L. (eds), Environmental Criminology and Crime Analysis. Cullompton, UK: Willan, 21–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crime Concern. (2004) People’s Perceptions of Personal Security and Their Concerns About Crime on Public Transport: Literature Review. London, UK: Crime Concern and Department for Transport.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department for Transport. (1999) Personal Security Issues in Pedestrian Journeys. London, UK: Department for Transport.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department for Transport. (2002) A Bulletin of Public Transport Statistics: Great Britain 2002. London, UK: Department for Public Transport.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department for Transport. (2012) Understanding the Travel Needs of London’s Diverse Communities: A Summary of Existing Research. London, UK: Transport for London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (1995) Examining Routine Activity Theory: A Review of Two Books. Justice Quarterly, 12(4), 783–797.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felson, M. (1986) Linking Criminal Choices, Routine Activities, Informal Control, and Criminal Outcomes. In: Cornish, D. B. and Clarke, R. V. (eds), The Reasoning Criminal: Rational Choice Perspectives on Offending. New York: Springer-Verlag, 117–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felson, M. (1987) Routine Activity and Crime Prevention in the Developing Metropolis. Criminology, 25(4), 911–931.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felson, M., Dickman, D. E., Glenn, D. E., Kelly, L. M., Lambard, G. A., Maher, L., Nelson-Green, L. L., Ortega, C. S., Preiser, T. J., Rajendran, A., Ross, T. E., Tous, L. and Veil, J. M. (1990) Preventing Crime at Newark Subway Stations. Security Journal, 1(3), 137–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrell, C. E., Mathur, S., Meek, J. and Piven, M. (2012) Neighbourhood Crime and Travel Behavior: An Investigation of the Influence of Neighbourhood Crime Rates on Mode Choice — Phase II. San Jose, CA: Mineta Transportation Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fineman, M. A. (2008) The Vulnerable Subject: Anchoring Equality in the Human Condition. Yale Journal of Law and Feminism, 20, 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H. (1979) Improving Policing: A Problem-Oriented Approach. Crime and Delinquency, 25(2), 236–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Groff, E. R., Weisburd, D. and Yang, S.-M. (2010) Is It Important to Examine Crime Trends at a Local ‘Micro’ Level?: A Longitudinal Analysis of Street to Street Variability in Crime Trajectories. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 26(1), 7–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knepper, P. (2009) How Situational Crime Prevention Contributes to Social Welfare. Liverpool Law Review, 30(1), 57–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levine, N. and Wachs, M. (1986a) Bus Crime in Los Angeles: I — Measuring the Incidence. Transportation Research A, 20(4), 273–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levine, N. and Wachs, M. (1986b) Bus Crime in Los Angeles: II — Victims and Public Impact. Transportation Research A, 20A(4), 285–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) (n.d.) LADOT Transit Services. http://www.ladottransit.com/dash/, accessed 7 November 2013.

  • Loukaitou-Sideris, A. and Fink, C. (2009) Addressing Women’s Fear of Victimisation in Transportation Settings: A Survey of U.S. Target Agencies. Urban Affairs Review, 44(4), 554–587.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maxson, P., Browne, C., Conway, R., Mather, A. and Ridgway, J. (2001) Secure Transport Route-Manchester (Victoria) to Clitheroe Pilot. London, UK: Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and Crime Concern.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority (n.d.a) MTA.Info — Subway and Bus Ridership. http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ridership/index.htm, accessed 30 July 2013.

  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority (n.d.b) MTA.Info — Subways. http://www.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffsubway.htm, accessed 6 October 2013.

  • Newton, A. D. (2004) Crime and Disorder on Buses: Toward an Evidence Base for Effective Crime Prevention, Doctoral dissertation. University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, A. H. (1985) Fear of Crime and Other Barriers to the Use of Public Transit by the Elderly. Journal of Architectural Planning and Research, 2(4), 277–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Regoeczi, W. C. and Jarvis, J. P. (2011) Beyond the Social Production of Homicide Rates: Extending Social Disorganization Theory to Explain Homicide Case Outcomes. Justice Quarterly, 30(6), 983–1014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roundtree, P. W. and Land, K. C. (1996) Perceived Risk versus Fear of Crime: Empirical Evidence of Conceptually Distinct Reactions in Survey Data. Social Forces, 74(4), 1353–1376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. J. (2008) Addressing the Security Needs of Women Passengers on Public Transport. Security Journal, 21(1–2), 117–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. J. and Cornish, D. B. (eds) (2006) Secure and Tranquil Travel: Preventing Crime and Disorder on Public Transport. London: UCL — Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toronto Travel Commission (TTC), Metro Action Committee on Public Violence against Women and Children (METRAC), and Metro Toronto Police Force (MTPF) (1989) Moving Forward: Making Transit Safer for Women. Toronto, CAN: TTC, METRAC, and MTPF.

    Google Scholar 

  • US Census Bureau (USCB) (2011) 2006–2010 American Community Survey. http://www.census.gov/acs/www/about_the_survey/american_community_survey/, accessed 6 October 2013.

  • US Census Bureau (USCB) (2013) American Community Survey: Information Guide. Washington, DC: US Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/acs/www/about_the_survey/acs_information_guide/, accessed 2 May 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • US Census Bureau (USCB) (n.d.) Helping Your Make Informed Decisions. Washington, DC: US Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/QbyQfact/Housing09_OnlinePDF.pdf, accessed 6 October 2013.

  • Wiles, P. and Costello, A. (2000) The ‘Road to Nowhere’: The Evidence for Traveling Criminals. Home Office Research Study 207. London: Home Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, D., Fang, C., Xue, D. and Yin, J. (2014) Assessing Urban Public Safety via Indicator-Based Evaluating Method: A Systemic View of Shanghai. Social Indicators Research, 117(1), 89–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Sung-suk Violet Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martha J. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden

    Vania Ceccato

  2. University of Huddersfield, UK

    Andrew Newton

Copyright information

© 2015 Sung-suk Violet Yu and Martha J. Smith

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Yu, Ss.V., Smith, M.J. (2015). Areas Where Vulnerable Public Transit Commuters Reside: A Method for Targeting Crime Prevention and Other Resources to Address Local Area Problems. In: Ceccato, V., Newton, A. (eds) Safety and Security in Transit Environments. Crime Prevention and Security Management. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137457653_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation