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Encyclopedia of Security and Emergency Management pp 1–5Cite as

Residential Security: Gated Communities

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Definition

A gated community is a residential complex with its boundaries enclosed by walls, fences, and embankments and has restricted access and other security systems to allow for the protection, safety, and comfort of the residents.

Introduction

The chapter examines residential security within the context of gated communities. Residential security involves the protection of people and their properties from the risk of burglary, home invasion, threats, disturbances, and other vulnerabilities. Thus, residential security is the type of protection that is offered to gated communities as it provides estate protection and other security solutions for the household.

The gated community has become an international trend over the last few decades. It consists of homes, green spaces, security guardhouses, electronic gates, controlled entrance, surveillance systems and enclosed by walls, fences, and embankments. This physical and symbolic separation of houses from the outside neighborhood is...

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References

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Further Readings

  • Low, S. (2004). Behind the gates: Life, security and the pursuit of happiness in fortress America. New York: Routledge.

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  • Stephen, M., & Anotti, L. (Eds.). (2013). Building walls and dissolving borders: The challenges of alterity, community and securitizing space. New York: Routledge.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica

    Trevor A. Smith & Christopher A. D. Charles

Authors
  1. Trevor A. Smith
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  2. Christopher A. D. Charles
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Trevor A. Smith .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Security, Fire & Emergency Mgmt, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, USA

    Lauren R. Shapiro

  2. Dept. of Security, Fire & Emergency Mgmt, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA

    Marie-Helen Maras

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Smith, T.A., Charles, C.A.D. (2020). Residential Security: Gated Communities. In: Shapiro, L., Maras, MH. (eds) Encyclopedia of Security and Emergency Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69891-5_231-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69891-5_231-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-69891-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-69891-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Law and CriminologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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