Citation

Hummer D, Preston P. Crime Prev. Community Safety 2006; 8(2): 118-136.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group -- Palgrave-Macmillan)

DOI

10.1057/palgrave.cpcs.8150015

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Physical security surveys have for many years been an integral component of an overall crime prevention plan for post-secondary institutions. As assessment tools, they highlight vulnerable features of design and environment that could potentially put persons or property at risk. Noticeably absent from a majority of these surveys is input from the constituents (community) that regularly use these complexes as students, employees, residents, or visitors. The perceptions of these users give a differing perspective on how those who may perhaps be most familiar with the institution under scrutiny view potential risks. By merging a physical survey of facilities with stakeholder input, a more comprehensive crime control strategy can be developed and implemented that addresses the needs of both users and administrators. The present research illustrates how such a dual method was undertaken at an urban university and discusses the benefits that emerge when two perspectives are taken into account in developing an institutional security plan.

Keywords: security surveys, campus crime, constituent perceptions, prevention techniques