Kenneth A. Clontz

SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA


Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study is to empirically test the assumptions of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) on the crime of burglary. Prior burglary studies suggest that the physical environment does impact on crime rates. This work examines residential burglary, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. It then takes the research one step further by dividing residential burglaries into the categories of single-family, duplex, and multifamily units.

A major finding of this research is that mixed land-use contributes to the risk of burglary. This finding was upheld by three of the equations. Accessibility was also discovered to be significant in one model. Accessibility, as a category, examined pedestrian and automobile traffic, types of front doors, and whether the windows were obstructed by foliage or other objects.






Introduction



A substantial body of research links the physical environment with spatial variations in crime. The present exploratory study examines the impact of the physical environment on individual crime sites. This micro-level research utilizes Jeffery's Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) as the theoretical basis for examination. The reason for using this particular theory is presented below.

CPTED has two main tenets. First, crime and criminal behavior is a product of the interaction between people and the physical environment. Second, crime sites require analysis, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, as to their physical characteristics that in turn could be altered to prevent future crimes (Hunter, 1990; Jeffery, 1990; Jeffery, 1992).

Consequently, the present study attempts to expand our knowledge by examining the crime of residential burglary. While most studies treat residential burglary as a single entity, this research examines residential burglary by separating it into its component parts of single-family burglaries, duplex burglaries, and multifamily burglaries. Additionally, this study examines the data for possible interactions between the various independent variables. A general working hypothesis proposes that the residential burglary patterns in Tallahassee, FL will not be uniformly distributed. Certain sites will have a higher probability of having an incidence of burglary than other sites given the relevant environmental factors (Brantingham and Brantingham, 1978; D'Alessio and Stolzenberg, 1990).

Geographical Area



This study was conducted in Tallahassee, the capital city of Florida. Tallahassee is home to two major universities and a large community college. The city of Tallahassee occupies approximately 59-square-miles, and according to the 1990 census over 127,000 people reside within this area.

The Myers Park neighborhood lies within the Tallahassee city limits. This locale provides the site for the present study. The Myers Park residences are bounded to the north by Myers Park (hence the neighborhood's name) and Seaboard Coast Railroad. To the east lies the Capital City Country Club and Country Club Drive, while the western border of the neighborhood is defined by South Monroe Street. To the south, the area is bounded by Magnolia Drive.

Directly north of Myers Park lies Tallahassee's downtown district and Apalachee Parkway. The downtown area between South Monroe Street and the city park is predominantly occupied by state government buildings and offices. Apalachee Parkway, which borders the park on the north side, is a major four-lane traffic corridor, and is the site of a major commercial strip with motels, restaurants, and a shopping mall. To the east of the Myers Park neighborhood is a predominantly middle-class residential neighborhood. The western border is South Monroe Street, another major four-lane traffic corridor in the city of Tallahassee. Monroe Street is the only street allowing motorists to travel through the city in a north to south direction without changing routes. South Monroe Street is also a commercial corridor. Immediately south of the Myers Park neighborhood is an area with both public and subsidized rental housing.

There is a marked contrast within the neighborhood between the homes located east of Meridian Street and those located west of Meridian Street. Not only does Meridian Street allow people to travel into and out of the capital area, but it also separates the Myers Park neighborhood into two separate types of residences. Moderate to expensive housing is located between Meridian Street and Golf Terrace Drive. Low to moderate cost housing is found between Meridian Street and South Monroe Street.

Sample and Data Collection



Data for this study were obtained from four sources. First, information on the crime of burglary was gathered from the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff's Office. This information details area offenses from January 1, 1988 until December 31, 1991. Within this time frame, 164 cases of burglary in the Myers Park district were reported to law enforcement officials.

The second source of information was gathered on each of the 308 pieces of property within the Myers Park neighborhood through on-site surveys.

Additional figures concerning the traffic count for the roads in the Myers Park area were obtained from the city of Tallahassee's Traffic Engineering section. These figures were obtained by counting the number of vehicles passing over a counter, placed in the roadway, within a 24 hour period. Traffic counts were taken over several days and the figures were averaged to produce the numbers used in this study.

Lastly, data on ownership and number of years that the property has been occupied were taken from the Polk 1992 Tallahassee City Directory. Information for this directory is obtained by either surveys, telephone, or personal interviews with the residents. In addition, the Polk Tallahassee City Directory contains the street address, spouse's name, childrens' names, employers, and the home telephone number of the residents.

Definitions of Key Terms and Variables



A number of terms used in this study require precise definition. First the definition of burglary is given. Even though the data was collected by the Tallahassee police department, the Records division provided the UCR definition of burglary. Accordingly, this study uses that definition, which is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.

The next set of terms to be defined are single-family residences, duplexes, multifamily residences, and commercial properties. "Single-family" residences are designed to house only one family. "Duplexes" are dwellings designed to house two separate families in different living quarters. "Multifamily residences or apartments" are buildings containing three or more individual dwelling units.

Most people use the words road, street, and highway interchangeably. For this research, the terms "major roads," "collector roads," and "local or minor roads" are used. Each of these words has a specific meaning. A "major road" uses four or more travel lanes to move large quantities of traffic. "Collector roads" collect traffic from the local roads and feed it into the major roads. These collector roads can have two or more travel lanes. "Minor or local roads" provide access to individual properties in a residential neighborhood (Leung, 1989).

Dependent Variables



Each of the dependent variables measures the number of burglaries reported to law enforcement officials that occurred at single-family units (n=71), duplexes (n=27), and multifamily units (n=20).

Independent Variables



Thirty-four independent variables are utilized in this study. Each variable has been used in prior research with the exceptions of CONSTRUC, SCRFRTDR, TRAFFIC, and YRSRES. The researcher believed that the type of construction (CONSTRUC) used in the building would interact with the general exterior appearance of the structure. Masonry structures are easier to maintain than buildings built out of wood. Wooden buildings have to be painted at regular intervals to maintain the exterior appearance. Units with separate screen doors (SCRFRTDR) could have a lower rate of burglary, provided the occupant locks the screen door. This would cause the thief to spend time opening two doors, instead of one. Prior studies have used the type of road in order to get an idea about vehicular traffic. This present work also examines the roadways (ROAD), in order to be consistent with previous studies. In addition, this study also obtained the traffic count (TRAFFIC) from the city. Such information allows the researcher to know the number of vehicles using the streets in each 24-hour period. Finally, the number of years that the property has been occupied (YRSRES) is recorded. From this the researcher can determine the rate at which people are moving into and out of the neighborhood. Areas with a high population turnover should be more susceptible to burglary, because people cannot be certain who their neighbors are, or even if an individual belongs in the neighborhood.

Analysis Employed



Logistic regression was employed in this study. Several reasons prompted this choice. First, logistic regression requires a dichotomized dependent variable. All the dependent variables in this study are dichotomized. Second, this statistical technique handles both continuous variables and categorical variables within the same equation. Most of the independent variables used in this research are measured at the nominal or ordinal level. Finally, logistic regression can test for interaction effects. In this research, the variables will be tested for interaction effects, something prior CPTED studies have failed to do. One of the innovations of the present study is this examination of the data for such interaction effects (Johnston, 1978; Noruis, 1990; Wrigley, 1976).

Besides the statistical analysis conducted in SPSS/PC+ (version 4.0), the data are mapped using ATLAS PRO (version 2.1) by Strategic Mapping, Inc. This program plots the data by individual street address, permitting the researcher to search for any type of qualitative differences between residences. Also, physical plotting permits the researcher to identify any spatial patterns present in the data that normal statistical analysis would miss.

The model presented here analyzes the variables and looks for interactions between the variables. Only results which are statistically significant at the .05 level or below are reported in this study.

Single-Family Burglaries



The only items showing statistical significance were the presence or absence of an alarm system (SEC3) and the interaction between the home being located next to the golf course or park (PARKGOLF) and the property to the left of the unit being of a different type (SURPRPLT).

In this model, single-family homes located near the park or golf course and have a building other than a single-family home to their left are twice as likely to be the burglarized as homes located in other areas. Most of the larger homes are located around either the park or golf course (PARKGOLF). However, the variable SURPRPLT, which examines the property on the left side of the unit under study cannot be explained by either prior research or on a theoretical basis. This writer believed that all of the land-use variables (SURPRPLT, SURPRPRG, SURPRPFT, and PARKGOLF) would be statistically significant or they would not be in the equation. But this is not the case. Hopefully the qualitative analysis will shed some light on this finding.

In addition, homes not protected by an alarm system were five times as likely to be burglarized. Most of these systems were installed in the homes that where located along the golf course or park. These are larger homes in the area and are apparently occupied by the upper-middle class. These people would have the extra income that could be used to purchase an alarm system. Unfortunately, this investigation could not determine if the alarms where installed before or after a home was burglarized.

The overall model is statistically significant (p = .0001). The model chi-square for this equation is 18.317 (d.f. = 2). One hundred and twenty-nine (96.27%) homes that were not burglarized and 14 (19.72%) units that were burglarized were successfully predicted using this equation. This interaction was able to accurately predict 69.76% of the cases.

Duplex Burglaries



Only two variables were statistically significant (TREE and SURPRPLT). Duplexes with trees limbs that are less than 6 feet off the ground are five times more likely to be burglarized. Failure to trim trees and shrubs provides burglars an opportunity to enter a structure without being seen. With tree limbs close to the ground, people are not able to see perpetrators standing nearby, especially at night. This situation makes it difficult for the police to spot someone standing near a tree. If the limbs were at least 6 feet off the ground, then the police and neighbors could tell if someone was hiding under the tree. Even at night, with the limbs pruned to a minimum height of 6 feet, light from the street or outside lighting would illuminate the area. Also with the limbs at 6 feet, it would make climbing the tree more difficult, reducing the chance of someone entering the duplex through a window on an upper story.

Units having other types of property located on their left side are three times more likely to be burglarized. Here again, the variable SURPRPLT cannot be explained simply by quantitative methods. As stated, it is hoped that the qualitative analysis will shed some light on this finding.

The overall model is statistically significant, with a model chi-square of 0.0027 (d.f. = 2, p = .0027). This equation was able to correctly predict 56 (90.32%) duplexes that were not broken into and seven (25.93%) that were burglarized.

Multifamily Burglaries



Multifamily units that have other types of buildings located on the left side are over 19 times as likely to be burglarized. This researcher has already discussed the variable, SURPRPLT.

TYPFRNT examines whether the front door of the multifamily unit is made out of wood or has glass in it. Apartments with glass installed in the doors have a slightly higher (0.0668) change of being burglarized. Most of the apartments in the Myers Park area had solid wooden doors, but apartments having glass in the front door makes it easier for someone to entry. This entry is accomplished by simply knocking out the glass and unlocking the door.

Twenty-one (95.45%) of the non-burglarized apartment buildings and nine (45%) of burglarized multifamily units were correctly predicted. Overall, 71.43% of the cases were predicted by two variables, SURPRPLT and TYPFRNT. The overall model was statistically significant at the .05 level (d.f. = 2, p = .0002). The model chi-square was 17.304.

Qualitative Analysis



This section utilizes qualitative methods in analysis of the data. To accomplish this goal, the first step is presenting an overview of the Myers Park neighborhood and its surrounding area. The work then reviews each of the dependent variables: single-family, duplex, and multifamily structures. Focusing on spatial analysis, the writer searches for patterns among the independent variables that were not identified by quantitative analysis.

Surrounding Environment



The surrounding environment can effect the number and types of problems in a neighborhood. The location of stores, schools, and other businesses draw people from all over the city. Therefore, the area that rings the Myers Park section of Tallahassee needs to be examined. On the east side of the Myers Park neighborhood are two city parks and a golf course. Country Club Park is at the intersection of Golf Terrance Drive and Magnolia Avenue. This 4.2 acre park contains three baseball fields. Enclosing Country Club park is the Capitol City Country Club which contains 17 acres. The golf course has a wooded area on the east and south sides. Also on the south side, there is an approximately 8-foot chain link fence that stretches from Golf Terrace Drive to Country Club Drive. There are numerous holes in this fence.

To the north of Capitol City Country Club lies the second park. Myers Park is located at Lafayette Street and Myers Park Drive. This 40-acre park includes a playground, fitness trial, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and a swimming pool. A fitness trial runs through the large wooded area on the north and east side of the park.

Beyond this is a predominantly white middle-class residential neighborhood. This section of the city contains mostly single-family homes. Here again, the larger and more expensive units are found along the golf course.

To the west of the Myers Park neighborhood, is South Monroe Street, which is a major commercial corridor of the city. This is the only 4-lane major roadway in Tallahassee that a motorist can use to travel in a north-south direction without changing routes. This is a major commercial area of the city.

Florida A & M University is located less than a half mile from the Myers Park neighborhood. This is one of two major universities located in Tallahassee.

Adjoining the neighborhood to the north is the Capitol area, a historical district, and Apalachee Parkway. This part of the city is separated from the Myers Park community by Seaboard Coast railroad. The parkway is the one of the major east-west highways of the city. There are motels, restaurants, bars, and a shopping mall located within walking distance of the Myers Park area.

To the south of the neighborhood is an area with both public and subsidized rental housing. There are three public housing projects within three-tenths of a mile. Additionally, Rickards High School and Leonard Wesson Elementary School are located within a mile of the Myers Park neighborhood. There are several convenience stores, fast food restaurants, and small businesses located within this area.

Zoning



Mixed land-use is encouraged by the city's zoning code (Tallahassee City Code 88-0-0024 1-3, 3-9-88). Within the Myers Park community there are eight different zones. Most of the area east of Meridian Street is zoned single, two, three, four, and multiple-family residential district (RM-1). This is low-density use. Along South Monroe Street the property is listed as automotive commercial district (C-4). Between Meridian Street and Monroe Street the area is zoned for central business use (C-3), office and residential district (OR), general commercial district (C-2), and multiple family residential district (RM-3).

It was believed by the author that the three land-use variables (SURPRPLT, SURPRPRG, and SURPRPFT) would all be statistically significant or they all would not. This was not so. One variable, SURPRPLT (property located on the left of the unit being studied, while facing it from the road is a different type of structure), was statistically significant. Just using quantitative methods, this variable did not fit expected patterns as suggested by prior research nor could the author state with any degree of certainty why this variable was statistically significant, while the other two land-use variables (SURPRPFT and SURPRPLT) were not. By examining the maps, a clear pattern emerges. When facing the various properties land-use patterns shift to the left.

Single-Family Dwellings



Most of the single-family homes that were burglarized were located next to either the park or the golf course (Capitol City Country Club) or on Meridian Street. Homes found along the golf course are larger and better kept properties. In addition, people who live outside the Myers Park neighborhood use the golf course and park as a short cut when walking to reach Apalachee Parkway. Apalachee Parkway is one of the major commercial strips in Tallahassee with motels, restaurants, bars, businesses and a shopping mall.

There are several foot paths on both the east and west side of the golf course heading north. Across from the 1500 block of Golf Terrace is a large ditch big enough for people to hide in or to use it as a place to conceal stolen merchandise. In the 1700 block of Golf Terrace there is a wooded lot with several foot paths leading over to Meridian Street. Foot paths traveling to Meridian Street can also be found in the 1900 block of Golf Terrace.

Meridian Street contains single-family residences, duplexes, and commercial property. This mixed land-use contributes to the burglaries on this street. Additionally, there are many empty buildings located south of Palmer Avenue.

The area border by Palmer Street (north side), Gadsden Street (east side), Magnolia Drive (south side) and Monroe Street (west side) is a heavily wooded and grown up area. There is also a series of duplexes on Lewis Street. This combination may explain the burglaries on the south end of Gadsden Street. A second neighborhood watch association has been formed that encompasses Magnolia Street to the south, Monroe Street (west), Perkins Street (north), and Gadsden Street to the east. Whereas the Myers Park association deals with the Tallahassee Police Department, this association is set up through the Leon Country Sheriff's Office.

Another observation made during the data collection phase was the number of trees and shrubs in the area. In many places the greenery was not kept trimmed. For example, of the three homes in the 1200 block of Golf Terrace, all had trees and shrubbery overgrown and blocking the view of the house from the street. Of 11 homes on Perkins Street, four had overgrown shrubbery or trees on the property.

Duplexes



Most of the duplexes burglarized were located in the 1900 block of Meridian Street. To the rear of these duplexes is Gadsden Street. In the same area on Gadsden Street is a series of commercial buildings. Most of these commercial buildings are either empty or closed after 5:00 p.m. The three burglaries on Gadsden Street could be due to the location of a large vacant field that is across the street. The rest of the duplexes are located in a mixed-use area. Most of these units are surrounded by single-family homes, multifamily units, or commercial property.

As in the single-family section above, many duplexes have shrubbery and trees that need trimming. Additionally, many of these building are similar in appearance to each other. It is possible that they were built around the same period. Many of these have roll-out style windows (like those used in older mobile homes). This type of window makes for easy access.

Multifamily Structures



Many of the multifamily structures that were burglarized were located next to large undeveloped pieces of land (i.e., the golf course, park, or vacant field). Thirteen of the 15 units are located next to one of these areas. Three of the multifamily structures which were burglarized are located across from Myers Park. The units on Meridian Street are located across from a large open field that fronts on Monroe Street. The three crimes on Golf Terrace Drive are located across the street from the golf course and a city park. The one crime scene on Gadsden Street is located near a wooded area.

Environmental Factors



Only two environmental factors are discussed: land-use and trees and their impact on crime within the neighborhood.

Land-use



The major finding of this study deals with zoning issues. The writer originally assumed that all the land-use variables would be statistically significant or that none of them would be, but this did not prove to be the case. All of the models (single-family, duplex, and multifamily) had one independent variable that was statistically significant. This variable was SURPRPLT, which examined the land-use patterns on the left side of the property under study. None of the theoretical models (Defensible Space, CPTED, nor Routine Activities Theory) nor prior research indicated why this variable might be significant.

Quantitative analysis alone could not provide an answer. However, when using qualitative analysis the answer became clear. Different types of properties join each other on the left side.

With single-family homes this variable combined with PARKGOLF to be statistically significant. Here again, this relationship is clarified by the inclusion of qualitative methodologies. Most of the homes targeted by burglars were located along the golf course or park. Additionally, this region is where the more expensive looking homes were located.

These findings do not support the concept of mixed land-use that Jacob's (1961) advocated and that the city of Tallahassee utilized during this period. Most of the Myers Park community is zoned for single, two, three, four, and multifamily settings (RM-1 and RM-3).

Work by Brantingham and Brantingham (1975) found that when blocks started switching from single-family to multifamily dwellings the rates of burglary increased. Greenberg et al. (1982) also found that homogeneous neighborhoods had lower rates of crime. These previous studies, along with the current research support land-use zoning that places different types of structure throughout the city. For example, one area would be zoned for commercial use. A second section of the city would be for multifamily units.

Trees



This researcher believed that the variables TREE and SHRUB would be statistically significant for all the residential settings. When collecting the data for this study, many of the buildings seemed to have trees and shrubs that needed trimming. For example on Oakland Drive, nine of the structures had trees or shrubbery that needed to be trimmed.

Research by Taylor and Gottfredson (1986), Buck and Hakim (1991, 1992a, 1992b), and Cromwell et al. (1991) found that homes with dense shrubbery and trees were more likely to be burglarized. This research agrees with part of the prior research in that trees had an impact on the crime rate. However, this impacted only on burglary rates for duplexes. Duplexes that had trees with limbs that were close to the ground (less than 6 feet) were more likely to be burglarized. When the tree limbs are close to the ground, people can hide behind them or use them to climb the tree to gain entry to an upper level. By cutting the limbs to a minimum height of 6 feet from the ground, this makes it more difficult for someone to hide in or climb the tree.

Neither trees nor shrubbery were significant for the other two dependent variables. No prior research differentiated between single-family, duplex, and multifamily properties.

There could be a simple explanation for the fact that trees are only significant for duplexes. Most single-family home owners will keep the shrubs and trees trimmed. They may not meet the criteria established for this research, but they are kept pruned. Most multifamily structures will either have someone on staff keeping up the grounds or they will have a company coming in to clean up the grounds, including trimming the trees and shrubbery.

Construction of the Front Door



Many security books discuss the disadvantages of having glass located in front doors without a deadbolt lock. Doors having glass panels located near the door lock make it easier for the burglar to enter the property since all one must do is break out the glass and unlock the door.

The type of front door was examined. Doors were listed as either solid (no glass) or partial glass. It was assumed that buildings with partial glass doors would have a higher burglar rate.

The only place this held true was for multifamily apartments. Apartments that had glass in the front door were more likely to experience a burglary. For the other dependent variables (single-family and duplexes) this did not hold true. It could be that in these settings the door was fitted with a deadbolt lock or other security devices not measured in this research.

Conclusion



In conclusion, this research supports some of the tenets of CPTED. Mixed land-use as a burglary deterrent did not receive any support. In fact, this study suggests that mixed land-use zoning be eliminated. Land-use is the only variable that showed up as significant regardless of the type of property being examined.

This study also shows the fallacy of treating all styles of residential units as a single entity as prior studies have done. There were different patterns found in the analysis depending on the type of property (single-family, duplex, or multifamily). Finally, this study expands on prior work by examining the interaction effects. Several of the independent variables by themselves were not significant. But when checking for interaction effects, these same variables became significant. This supports CPTED, which believes that there should be interactions between the various variables. No other study has ever tested this part of the theory.

References



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Brantingham, P. L., & Brantingham, P. J. (1978). A topological technique for regionalization. Environment and Behavior, 10(3), 335-353.

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Buck, A. J., & Hakim, S. (1992b). Are alarms effective in deterring intruders? Unpublished paper (Temple University).

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Tallahassee City Code 88-0-0024 1-3, 3-9-88.

Taylor, R. B., & Gottfredson, S. (1986). Environmental design, crime and prevention: An examination of community dynamics. In A. J. Reiss and M. Tonry (Ed.), Communities and Crime (Volume 8) (pp. 387-416). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

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Kenneth A. Clontz, Ph.D.
Department of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL 61455
Phone (309) 298-2251
Fax (309) 298-2251
E-Mail: Kenneth_Clontz@ccmail.wiu.edu