Gated Communities and Crime in the United States

Abstract

The rapid expansion and growing pervasiveness of gated communities across the United States in recent decades has made it essential for researchers to consider the implications of this emerging trend for various facets of social life. This chapter analyzes the relationship between gated communities and crime across neighborhoods in Orange County, California, a county with a large number of gated communities and considerable diversity in terms of population demographics and crime rates. It begins by defining gated communities and situating the gated communities–crime relationship within existing scholarship and criminological theories. Next, it describes the data and methodological approach, and presents findings from the analysis. It concludes by discussing the findings within the context of the study’s limitations and identifying some promising new directions for research on gated communities and crime.

(Re)conceptualizing Neighborhood Ecology in Social Disorganization Theory: From a Variable-Centered Approach to a Neighborhood-Centered Approach

“…The average geocoding match rate was 97.2% across cities, with the lowest rate at 91.4%. SCCS data have been used in prior studies (Branic & Kubrin, 2018;Hipp & Kubrin, 2017;Kubrin & Hipp, 2016). 3.…”

The circumstances of crime and fear in public places

“…This development has also witnessed an increasing commodification of security (Goold, Loader, & Thumala, 2010) that can take different forms, from an industry that survives by delivering a range of (often untested) products and security gadgets (e.g., CCTV cameras, drones, security windows), to organizations that provide security standards and certifications, not infrequently recycled models from the original first generation of CPTED principles. This commodification has been extreme, and gated communities have turned into permanent housing and safety solutions in crime-ridden countries (Asiedu & Arku, 2009;Branic & Kubrin, 2018;Breetzke, Landman, & Cohn, 2014;Chase, 2008;Grundström, 2018;Lemanski, 2006;Wilson, 1999) and have found their way into Europe (Grundström, 2018) and elsewhere (Tedong, Grant, & Abd Aziz, 2014).…”

The architecture of crime and fear of crime

“…There are studies that illustrate when safety (of some) has been prioritized to the detriment to other aspects of urban life, such as public transportation (for all). Gated communities are an example of a "desired safety solution" that in many countries has been legitimized by high crime rates and socioeconomic inequality (Branic & Kubrin, 2018;Breetzke, Landman, & Cohn, 2014;Carvalho, George, & Anthony, 1997;Gliori, 2018;Grundström, 2018;Landman, 2004;Luymes, 1997). Inevitably, the outcome is that safety becomes a function of those who can afford it, a commodity objectified by the physical environment.…”