Relighting the Streets: A Study of Situational Crime Prevention

Crime and Deviance:

Does situational crime prevention actually work, or is crime simply displaced to a neighbouring area?

This film tells the story of an experiment in situational crime prevention by the Cambridge Institute of Criminology conducted in Stoke-on-Trent, a medium sized British city.

The streets of an experimental area were re-lit with more powerful lighting. The researchers then monitored changes in crime and fear of crime in the experimental area, a neighbouring area and a control area in a different part of the city.

The film provides students with a powerful example to illustrate the strengths and limitations of situational crime prevention.