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Financial savings Page 2 of 4 control area was near to the experimental area, but was physically separated from it by a conservation area and nature reserve. During a four week period, high pressure sodium street lights were installed, replacing the older type mercury lamps. The improvements were made only to residential roads, not to footpaths between the houses. The lighting upgrade doubled the amount of useful light and caused a noticeable alteration in the night time environment. In both areas, a random sample of households was issued to interviewers; 431 interviews were achieved in the experimental area for the before survey Oust before the improved lighting), and 448 in the control area. Interviewees were asked about crime in the previous 12 months. 13 months later an attempt was made to re-interview the same households with an 86% success rate in the experimental area and 83% in the control area. The results showed that the incidence of crimes (average crimes per 100 households) had decreased by 41 % in the experimental area after the improved lighting, compared with a decrease of 15% in the control area. Burglaries decreased by 38% (compared with 13%). Outside theftJvandalism decreased by 39% (compared with 27%). Vehicle crime decreased by 49% (compared with 16%). Personal crime decreased by 41% (compared with an increase of 5%). After considering various altemative hypotheses, it was concluded that the improved street lighting had caused a substantial decrease in crime. The Stoke-On-Trent project Similarly, in Stoke-on-Trent, street lighting was improved in an experimental area and the results were compared with adjacent and non-adjacent control areas in which the lighting was not improved. This design was adopted to investigate the displacement of crime and the diffusion of benefits. One criticism of situational crime prevention methods, such as improved street lighting, is that they will merely displace crime to another area. The opposite of displacement is diffusion of benefits to adjacent areas. The experimental area was a local authority housing estate containing 365 properties. The adjacent areas were located east and west of the experimental area and were not clearly differentiated from it. The non-adjacent control areas were located further away to the north and south. They were physically separated and ciearly demarcated from the experimental and adjacent areas. The experimental area was chosen for re-lighting by the local council on the basis of perceived need; high pressure sodium street lights were installed during a four week period, replacing older domestic type tungsten lamps. Detached footpaths which were previously unlit were also illuminated. Since the amount of useful light increased fivefold, the lighting upgrade caused a very noticeable change in the night-time environment. The results showed that the incidence of crimes decreased by 43% in the experimental area, by 45% in the adjacent areas, and by a negligible 2% in the non-adjacent control areas. Property crimes decreased by 34% in the experimental area and by 38% in the adjacent areas, but increased by 4% in the non-adjacent control areas. Personal crimes decreased by 68% in the experimental area, by 66% in the adjacent areas and by 39% in the non-adjacent control areas. It was concluded from these results that the improved lighting had caused a substantial decrease in crime and there had been a diffusion of the benefits of improved lightiryg (eg increased community pride, community cohesion and informal social control) to the adjacent areas. Estimated costs of crime http://www.urbislighting.com/switchon2_2.php3 7/30/2002