Archive for crime reduction

Cities and states of nature

March 9, 2009 / Wendy Waters / One comment

Drug cartel wars in Mexico’s borderlands as well as Taliban and tribal Afghanistan heroin production can generate violence and lawlessness in individual cities thousands of kilometres away.  And city governments often lack the policing and even legal means to stop the chaos and control their streets.

There are as many examples as there are cities (Toronto had a spree of suspected gang violence last summer, in Los Angeles it can be endemic).  But the recent gang war in Vancouver, which has resulted in 32 shootings in 64 days got me thinking about the needs of metro areas in todays complex world.

From a recent Canadian Press article:

OTTAWA — The increase in gang violence on the streets of Vancouver and other Canadian cities has direct ties to the grisly drug-cartel wars that have terrorized Mexico and some American border towns, say Canadian and U.S. police.

Violence has reached a fever pitch in parts of Mexico where the government of President Felipe Calderon has sent in 45,000 soldiers and 5,000 federal police to try to curb cartel activity. More than 7,000 have died in the last two years, with 1,000 deaths this January alone.

…

The Washington Times quoted senior U.S . military officials Tuesday who warned that if Mexico’s two main cartels joined forces, they would have the equivalent power of an army of 100,000.

When the drug cartels can mobilize the equivalent of 100,000 troops, the national government is not in control.

17th Century political philosopher Thomas Hobbes believed that without government or — the State — humans would live in a state of nature, where life was “nasty, brutish and short.” Therefore, people willingly relinquished some of their freedoms and wealth in exchange for government-imposed order.

There are other theories about the state, including that to be effective, a state must have a monopoly on violence.  The Mexican borderlands appear to be failing on both counts — as are many other parts of the world.

The streets of many cities too are starting to become extensions of these states of nature — places where the government does not have the monopoly on violence.  The police in Metro Vancouver’s various municipalities have not solved any of the shootings (to the best of my knowledge). The courts have not successfully kept anyone charged with any related crime (such as selling armor-piercing bullets — not allowed in Canada) locked up.

The metro area is hampered by (at least) two things:

1. The metro region does not have one central government, nor one central policing force.  This makes it harder to maintain order when gangs move seamlessly from one municipality to the next.

2. Laws and jurisdictional procedures created for a more rural nation and/or for a different era don’t work.

There are serious concerns about more innocent people getting hurt.  Many shootings have been in crowded mall parking lots or on busy streets.  The police appear to have reasonably good knowledge about who is involved, but not enough evidence to charge them with sufficiently significant crimes that judges won’t grant them bail while they wait for trial in the backlogged court system, which could take months or years.  In the meantime, the shooting continues.

Maybe cities need a new deal.  Maybe cities’ needs will further push the idea of City States  — afterall, you can’t have a stable, prosperous economy or offer a good quality of life when gang wars make people fear going out.

Category: crime reduction, economic development, Uncategorized /

New playground as community anchor

February 24, 2008 / Wendy Waters / 3 comments

Like many public spaces in East Vancouver, the park by our house used to look tired — exhausted, in fact.  Some playground equipment became so dilapidated, it posed a hazard and neighbors asked the city to remove it.  Other plastic slides had more endurance (does plastic ever break down?), and children belonging to families living right near the park enjoyed it as a quick playground fix when there was not time to go elsewhere.  The entrance sign and bathroom were covered in graffiti.  Drunks and drug dealers could be found under the larger trees.

Then, a renaissance.

After 5 years of lobbying, a small group of neighbors got a full park renovation into the city capital budget.  Half a million dollars later, there’s a new park — and spectacular modern playground.

Suddenly, the park and playground are packed — all day long — unless it’s raining.  Daycares, families, children with nannies are there, enjoying the six slides, multiple climbing aparatus, sand box, mosaic stones and natural boulders and logs to jump and climb.  Picnic tables abound, offering spots for a snack or to sip a juice box.

There’s a stroller jam along the edge of the playground as everyone walks here.   A few trikes and bikes-with-training wheels are there too.

Where did all these children and families come from, I wonder.  Certainly, there are some familiar faces from other toddler activities nearby.  But the majority of these people I’ve never seen before.  From chatting, I learn that most live within 6-8 blocks, some even closer having moved in recently.  Most kids playing are under age 5, while the parents seem to range in age from early 20s to early 40s — part of the urban baby boom that seems to be happening.

Suddenly this playground has become “the” neighborhood spot.  It allows parents to meet and chat informally while the kids play — share parenting tips, discuss pre-school options or daycare possibilities.

Dozens of laughing, shreking children have pushed the last of the drunks and drug dealers somewhere else.

A new playground in a tired park won’t revitalize or anchor every neighborhood — but in one with lots of children and a baby boom, it might.  It certainly helps to reinforce and build community — and allows the community to take back public spaces from less desirable elements.

Category: communities, crime reduction, demographic stats, public spaces, revitalization, urban families /

Community spirit and crime prevention

October 2, 2007 / Wendy Waters / No comments

“Build community spirit to fight crime”

I found this interesting quote from a municipal official in Barbados (the magic of the internet). He was talking about the role neighborhood watch could play in reversing an escalation in drug trafficking in a particular community. But the notion is intriguing.

Politicians and citizens in most major cities continually debate how best to fight crime, especially escalating problems. More police officers? Longer sentences? “three strikes” laws?

But maybe a key ingredient in stopping crime is community spirit: neighbors knowing each other and caring about one another is important. Once you know your neighbors, it’s easy to spot something unusual happening at their home and call police.

If you could measure community spirit, I wonder if we would see a correlation between rising crime rates and declining tendencies for neighbors to know each other. I think we would (and maybe someone has measured this).

Another question: what if growing up in a community with great spirit and camaraderie decreases the chance that children will drift into a life of drug dealing or stealing?

Perhaps as cities grow and evolve, we need to pay more attention (whether as residents, planners, economic development advocates, etc.) to finding ways to encourage community spirit. And then the crime stats will take care of themselves.

Category: communities, crime reduction, planning policy /

Combating City Crime – Car Thefts

July 2, 2007 / Wendy Waters / One comment

Many world cities — especially those in North America — have car theft problems to some degree. In some places most thefts result from questionable owner behaviour like leaving the car running and keys in the ignition while they run into a store. But in many cities, securely locked vehicles continually fall victim to thieves who often then use the vehicle to commit other crimes like residential break ins, bank robberies, etc.

Car thefts are a center piece of many urban issues. But what to do about it?

Newer vehicles have passive immobilizers built into the keys — essentially, unless the car receives a little signal send from a device in your key, it won’t start. But older cars don’t and clubs and other devices tend to slow thieves down more that stop them (which can work if there is easier bait near by).

This leads me to the bait car program. In places from Sacramento California to Essex England to the Vancouver BC area, bait car programs have been set up. Commonly stolen automobile makes are equipped with GPS trackers and remote immobilizing equipment and then left in areas where thefts often occur. Sooner or later, a thief steals the car and the police immediate receive a signal. A patrol car is dispatched to follow the vehicle and when the officer feels it is safe, he or she radios for the car to be shut down. Then the engine is killed, and the thief is caught red handed.

This eliminates the need for high-speed chases of stolen vehicles which often injure innocent bystanders. It also allows police to catch some notorious car thieves.

In the Vancouver area vehicle thefts are down 35% in three years with the program.

A side benefit has been that society and the judges in the legal system have been given a glimpse into the culture of car thieves. These bait cars have hidden cameras and the police periodically release the videos. The often-drug-induced behaviour of these drivers is frightening.

Since I normally blog more about economic and social development issues, some of you may be wondering about why I wrote about bait cars and car thefts. I did so because an endemic problem like this (or rampant drug use, which is related) affects how people perceive their city. It impacts whether people feel safe on the streets.

If people don’t feel safe, they build barriers between themselves and the city — which doesn’t benefit the local economy; it doesn’t bring people into contact with those different from them, thereby sparking new ideas and broader acceptance. If Bait Cars can help reduce one type of urban crime by 35% in 3 years, then they offer one path to economic development as well as a city’s social and cultural growth as well for many cities.

Category: crime reduction, economic development, urban lifestyles /

Alleys: Paths to Urban Revitalization

October 31, 2006 / Wendy Waters / 2 comments

The back alleys of North American cities are often thought of as places for garbage or crime, if people think about them at all. But that is changing.

Cities around North America, particularly in the downtown and urban core neighbourhoods are seeing alleys become the source for new, revitalizing urban development.

Streets and alleys fill 30% of city space. It makes sense to start thinking about alleys and not just streets as places to “develop.” In neighbourhoods with single family houses on narrow, long lots, the alley provides a great secondary street front for in fill housing. In commercial areas (or mixed commercial and residential) the alley provides for more business space, allowing more stores to benefit from existing consumer traffic. Alleys, being narrow, also have the potential to become pedestrian-only spaces if warranted. For example, restaurants, cafes and galleries could all benefit from a block-long pedestrian only strip.

The San Francisco Chronicle recently ran an article that’s well worth a read for anyone interested in how to revitalize urban space. In San Francisco’s case it has been happening organically. One business opens in an alley and brings traffic — to a custom, hand-made furniture workshop and showroom for example. Soon, a coffee bar opens next door taking advantage of the pedestrian-oriented foot traffic. Neighbours gather at the coffee bar, enjoying their own private yet public space to chat. The alleys of San Francisco are taking off from there. Although the article did not mention city planner policy on this issue, presumably they have been favouring alley development or at least allowing it to happen in some places, perhaps as an experiment.

Planning departments around North America are starting to look at alley-based infill as a way to create more urban housing, without resorting to high rises — not appropriate in every neighbourhood.

Toronto also has a tradition of commercial alley ways with their own businesses and residences. A recent study suggested that the city consider encouraging more of this type of development.

The new head planner for the City of Vancouver, Brent Toderian, in a recent speech mentioned that the idea should be studied and considered for many Vancouver neighbourhoods.

Look out — an alley near you may go from being an avoided garbage dump into a vibrant urban space.

Category: commercial development, crime reduction, public spaces, residential development, revitalization /

Disorder, livability and tourism.

September 27, 2006 / Wendy Waters / No comments

A little disorder can help pull a city together — give it a creative edge. But a lot of disorder in the form of graffiti on buildings, drug use in the open, homelessness in every alley, pan handlers on each street, petty theft everwhere, and public drunkedness, well that starts to impede on the liveability of a city and its attractiveness to tourists.

For years, the high rates of homelessness, drug addiction and property crime have been the city of Vancouver’s dirty secret. Something that irritated locals but that tourists largely missed experiencing. As the years have gone on and the problem has not been sufficiently dealt with, it has gotten worse and more ubiquitous. Today, conventions are starting to avoid Vancouver; tourists are looking for new destinations or to leave the city as soon as possible on a cruise to Alaska or a plane outta there.

While some problems require national and provincial solutions, increasingly the Mayor and many city residents are beliving that some disorder can be removed through persistent, targeted policies.

Indeed the Mayor has been quitely looking to gain public support for his new personal project — reduce disorder in the city. He has established a questionnaire on his website.

This is about more than tourism, it is also about economic development and sustainability. As people start to feel uncomfortable, if not unsafe, they start to avoid an area. If businesses can’t convince employees to work in a neighbourhood, they leave — to business parks in the suburbs. The latter are not ecologically sustainable (primarily mode of getting to work is the private automobile), and they typically lack the amenities available in a dense downtown area. The city of Vancouver relies on business taxes, and businesses don’t vote — except with their feet. Local businesses are not yet leaving but it could (and convention business already is leaving).

As someone who wants to see the city of Vancouver restore some of its splendor, improve the livability of its dense urban space, and maintain the job base, it’s about time the dozens of “petty issues” are being taken seriously. It’s the broken window phenomenon – if you repair them immediately, other windows dont’ get broken. If you leave them, they attract the kind of people who break windows and more will be broken.

New York used this approach to solving many problems a decade ago. It works.

Category: city hall, crime reduction, economic development, revitalization /

The role of tension in creating great communities

September 7, 2006 / Wendy Waters / 2 comments

Many people escape to the suburbs hoping to find an area free of crime, litter, homelessness and other urban issues. What they also find there are often bedroom communities or neighbourhoods where neighbours rarely talk or know each other. There is no inherent reason to do so — nothing that breaks the ice.

In a transitioning inner city neighbourhood, there is no shortage of issues to get neighbours talking. In my case, it’s been the small community park across the street from my house. A few years before we moved here, the park was a scene for drinking and drug dealing, and occasionally shooting up heroin. It was also a place where children played, spontaneous soccer games errupted and a large contingent of elderly Italians appeared every day to play bocci (like lawn bowling, Italian style).

In an effort to remove the undesirable elements and prevent them from displacing appropriate park uses, the neighbours living near the park organized. Through regular meetings, the group evolved from organizing park and community clean ups, to discussing the problem with police and taking their suggested action (calling 911 every time we spotted illegal behaviour — drinking, drugs, etc. — in order to generate stats that the community police could use to justify more resources be allocated to the park). The group also lobbied the city for improvements to the park that would attract more citizens — a better playground, drainage, and repaired bocci courts — and succeeded.

Through regular meetings for several years, along with clean ups and take back the park events, the neighbours became good friends. We got to know each other, bonded through the tensions created by urban stresses of alcohol and drugs.

While things have improved, we still have a small group of middle aged men who show up in the park across the street from my house nearly every day and drink until they are “smashed.” But the more serious issues are generally gone. The drunks now serve as the tension that keeps us talking and us along with the police involved in thinkibg of new creative ways to work city policy, by laws and the justice system to solve the problem.

Tension generates creativity and community.

So, we need to add a fourth T, TENSION to Richard Florida’s three T’s of TOLERANCE, TECHNOLOGY, and TALENT in assessing what makes a city fertile ground for creativity.

Category: city hall, communities, crime reduction, development conflicts, diversity, revitalization /

Disorder, crime, respect and community

August 10, 2006 / Wendy Waters / No comments

The mayor of Vancouver was on Breakfast Television this morning and mentioned that a new priority for him and his administration is to address public disorder as a means to tackle rising crime and fear in Vancouver. This intrigued me, particularly as someone who lives in a fast changing community often challenged by irritating disrespectful behaviour. I decided to learn more.

It turns out that unchallenged disorderly behaviour does in fact contribute to increased crime, according to several studies I read about. It works like this. When people see individuals in public spaces acting disorderly or disrespectfully — drinking, doing drugs, passing out from same, making lewd comments, etc. — they typically feel unsafe (fear crime). These individuals may be harmless, but an average citizen does not feel comfortable around them. People then avoid the public space, which allows for more disorder and even crime as disreputable individuals feel comfortable dealing drugs, soliciting for prostitution, selling stolen goods, or committing other crimes. This further drives law-abiding, respectful people away from the public space and even the area if they can afford to move.

For years, police forces focused on the larger robberies, murders, assaults, etc. and felt that resources were too thin and precious for something like drunken behaviour. Now that is changing in cities around the world. Both police forces and citizens groups are focusing on curbing disorderly and disrespectful behavior, and it’s having results.

In the UK there is the respect squad of private individuals who challenge disorderly behaviour whether through confronting perpetrators or sponsoring preventative activities. In New York City, the city has focused on innovative sentencing as a way to get individuals who continually display disrespectful, disorderly behviour to address the causes and obtain treatment when appropriate. I’ll write about others in the future.

A livable city requires respect, a “Moral Reliability” to borrow from George Kelling. Citizens need to be able to assume that others will behave properly. Then you have a livable city where citizens feel safe going about their daily business. And this type of city will attract tourists, workers, business and investment. Undermine moral reliability and you undermine the livability of a city.

Category: city hall, crime reduction, revitalization /