Reducing crime through physical modification: Evaluating the use of situational crime prevention strategies in a rapid transit environment in British Columbia

Situational crime prevention and crime prevention through environmental design are strategies that reduce criminal opportunities through modification of the physical environment. Although limited, evidence suggests that these strategies are successful at reducing crime that occurs in transit environments. The rapid transit system in Vancouver, British Columbia provides a unique opportunity for evaluation of situational prevention strategies as both control and experimental groups are available for examination. 2008 crime rates at stations were used to determine if there were differences in crimes between two SkyTrain lines. Bivariate analyses found that crime rates at stations that were not designed with crime prevention techniques were not significantly related to crime rates within a 100m buffer of the station suggesting that factors outside of neighbourhood crime trends affect station crime. Multiple regression was then employed to determine if particular design characteristics are predictive of crime. Implications and areas for future research are also discussed.