Defensible space theory and the police: Assessing the vulnerability of residences to burglary

This study examines how defensible space theory and recent modifications to it apply to assessments of single-family dwelling vulnerability to burglar y by police officers. Fifty photographs of detached houses were scored on f ifty-five specific physical cues in six defensible space cue categories. Fo rty-one police officers reliably rated the vulnerability of the houses to b urglary. A modified Brunswik lens model was used to determine which cue cat egories police officers use to assess vulnerability. Simple and partial cor relation analyses show how road and occupant surveillability, actual barrie rs, traces of occupancy, and house value are related to vulnerability asses sments by police; symbolic barriers are unrelated to their assessments. Pol ice assessments of vulnerability are, based on previous research, very simi lar to those of residents, but less similar to those of burglars. Suggestio ns for a more parsimonious and pluralistic defensible space theory are made . (C) 1999 Academic Press.