Violent Crime Less Frequent in Neighborhoods with Businesses

Neighborhoods that combine residential and business developments have lower levels of some types of violent crime, suggests a new study.

The findings were equally true in impoverished areas as they were in more affluent neighborhoods, possibly offering city planners and politicians a new option in improving crime-afflicted areas, according to the researchers.

“A residential neighborhood needs more than the addition of one or two businesses to see any positive impact on violent crime,” said Christopher Browning, professor of sociology at Ohio State University and lead author of the study.

“There needs to be a sufficient density of businesses and residences throughout the community to really see the benefits.”

The findings are significant as more cities across the country move toward mixed developments as a way to bolster downtowns and run-down neighborhoods, said Browning.

The study appears in the current issue of the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency and was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Source:  Ohio State University