New home security

Description

Article about home security, featured in The Times, 1/10/13.

Subject

Standards for home security form part of the Housing Standards Review. However, as they stand the proposals will lead to an increase in crime, especially domestic burglary, in new developments, with the consequent flight from crime-ravaged areas by those who can afford to do so and consequent increased area disparities in rates of crime. There is now ample evidence that good home security is associated with lower rates of crime, both at the level of the individual home and at that of the surrounding street. Neglecting this evidence in new residential developments is short-termism of the crassest kind.