Post by cjm on Jun 11, 2016 10:06:45 GMT
Still better than either the SAPS or nothing. Beaten by low class suburbs (according to the article)
www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/2016/06/10/myth-of-high-security-walls
OVERALL, I spent a few months in 2014, studying incident reports from the two areas. As part of our exploratory research, we joined police and private security firms on their day and night patrols in both areas.
On those journeys, we witnessed incidents firsthand — and saw, without a doubt, that violent crime was far more common behind high walls in Westville than it was in Umbilo. These observations were reinforced by reading through incident reports and talking to the police officers.
Through their experience and expert knowledge, police officers had come to view the high walls as "policing nightmares".
Solid, high walls are viewed as an obstacle to policing. Organised criminals always look for ways to be hidden from sight. Walls are perfect for this purpose. Walls prevent patrolling officers from knowing what is happening inside a property. This detracts from the value of patrols as a form of crime-prevention and rapid response. Walls can also become a defence for criminals: they’re given the freedom to conduct their activities without being seen from the street.
Private security guards told us that a wall makes those in a home or yard feel trapped after an intruder has accessed their property.
Walls around a property also a problem because they prevent those who live inside from seeing what is happening outside.
High walls mean that reaction officers can’t easily get onto a property — they can often do only a perimeter check, which is very frustrating. Jumping over a high wall is also physically dangerous and there is the possibility that patrol officers will be caught unawares by home intruders who are already inside targeted properties.
Our research has received a huge amount of public attention and sparked debates in a country in which high walls are ubiquitous. These debates have centred not only on physical walls, but on the metaphysical walls suburban dwellers have created.
Talk shows on the subject were hosted by several radio stations including Cape Talk and Lotus FM.
What emerged was that people feel compelled to live behind high walls as these are the only "defensive" structures they know.
They are also afraid that, should they be the one house on the street without a wall, they will immediately be targeted by criminals.
OVERALL, I spent a few months in 2014, studying incident reports from the two areas. As part of our exploratory research, we joined police and private security firms on their day and night patrols in both areas.
On those journeys, we witnessed incidents firsthand — and saw, without a doubt, that violent crime was far more common behind high walls in Westville than it was in Umbilo. These observations were reinforced by reading through incident reports and talking to the police officers.
Through their experience and expert knowledge, police officers had come to view the high walls as "policing nightmares".
Solid, high walls are viewed as an obstacle to policing. Organised criminals always look for ways to be hidden from sight. Walls are perfect for this purpose. Walls prevent patrolling officers from knowing what is happening inside a property. This detracts from the value of patrols as a form of crime-prevention and rapid response. Walls can also become a defence for criminals: they’re given the freedom to conduct their activities without being seen from the street.
Private security guards told us that a wall makes those in a home or yard feel trapped after an intruder has accessed their property.
Walls around a property also a problem because they prevent those who live inside from seeing what is happening outside.
High walls mean that reaction officers can’t easily get onto a property — they can often do only a perimeter check, which is very frustrating. Jumping over a high wall is also physically dangerous and there is the possibility that patrol officers will be caught unawares by home intruders who are already inside targeted properties.
Our research has received a huge amount of public attention and sparked debates in a country in which high walls are ubiquitous. These debates have centred not only on physical walls, but on the metaphysical walls suburban dwellers have created.
Talk shows on the subject were hosted by several radio stations including Cape Talk and Lotus FM.
What emerged was that people feel compelled to live behind high walls as these are the only "defensive" structures they know.
They are also afraid that, should they be the one house on the street without a wall, they will immediately be targeted by criminals.