Protecting Against Transit Crime: The Importance of the Built Environment

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Authors:  Robin Liggett, Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, Hiroyuki Iseki

Date: September 1, 2004

Project: Protecting Against Transit Crime: The Importance of the Built Environment

This chapter deals with an important citizen right: the ability to walk from home or work to the transit stop, or wait at a bus stop or on a station platform without the fear of being victimized. Crime and fear of crime unfortunately affect many aspects of everyday life in our cities. Transit crime is a rather persistent but underreported trend that scares and intimidates riders – particularly women. The majority of incidents represent public nuisance crimes. The majority of the victims are captive transit riders, frequently immigrant and poor. In Los Angeles some of the victims are even afraid to report transit crimes to the authorities lest they expose their illegal-resident status.

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