Trevor Parham

Professor Danelle Lejeune

ENGL 1101-L02
23 October 2016

Neighborhood Safety and Security: Individual and Community Perception

Introduction

Ive lived in the city of Hinesville for over 10 years now, specifically in the neighborhood of
Sherwood Forest, Little John Drive. While I find my city and place of residence mundane at
times, Ive grown accustomed to their quaintness and quietness, and as such Ive decided to
analyze levels of crime, particularly in relation to my neighborhood. My neighborhood is very
important to me, especially its people, so their participation and experiences will be key in this
research paper. While I dont think my neighborhood has a crime issue, I still feel its important
to address neighborhood-related crime, especially since crime often starts at home. This paper
will be specific to my and my communitys experiences with criminal activity, but I hope as a
reader you can compare and contrast the information gleaned from this paper to your community,
and perhaps learn new ways to prevent crime in your neighborhood.

So, to summarize, this paper aims to:

Offer the reader insight into perceptions and experiences with crime on both a
personal and communal level, to compare to their own experiences and those of their
communities.
Explore how crime from nearby communities can potentially affect a safe
neighborhood.
Suggest ways to prevent crime.
Analyze secondary sources in relation to how crime is influenced by multiple factors
including area and time.

Individual Perceptions of Crime/Effects of Crime on Individuals

In Neighborhood Crime-Related Safety and its Relation to Childrens Physical Activity,

Stephanie Kneeshaw-Price and her colleagues talk about how victims of past crime will have a

stronger negative perception of crime than those persons with no previous experience with
criminal activity (2). Speaking based on personal history, my first experience with Crime was in
another neighborhood when I was 5-7 years of age. I and my parents had left the house for a
short period, and upon our return we found our front door bust open. While this incident didnt
have much effect on my development due to my young age, it prompted my parents to buy an
alarm system, and excursions from our house became less frequent. During my time in
Hinesville, I have yet to experience any criminal activity personally, but I have heard of
instances of crime occurring in my neighborhood: A past incident where juveniles stole a ladder
from a neighbors yard, and a more recent incident where a next door neighbor had their
residence broken into just before sunrise, where the perpetrators stole a television set, and other
miscellanea. As of the current date (10/26/2016) no suspects have been apprehended in relation
to the crime, but this does not seem to have negatively impacted the victims related to the
incident.

Community Perceptions of Crime/Effects of Crime on Community

While individual perception of crime is important, it can have multiple negative repercussion on
the entirety of a community. Those persons predisposed to crime often commit harm to their own
communities versus others (due to ease of access), negatively impacting the lives of their
neighbors. Additionally, if crime goes unaddressed in a community, crime rate tends to increase.
Inaction sends a message to criminals stating, its okay, emboldening them to commit more
crime.

First-hand Accounts

Factors Contributing to Crime

Crime Prevention Measures

Conclusion