[Community_garden] Community gardeners and crime reduction

[ellen kirby]

In response to Miriam Avin's inquiry about community gardens and crime
reduction you might want to search for a  a well publicized study  "On Crime
as Science (A Neighbor at a Time").

Susan Fields, Manager of Community Horticulture for Brooklyn Botanic Garden
describes it as follows:

*"The NY Times summarized the article in its January 6, 2004 "On Crime as
Science (A Neighbor At a Time)"  and it profiled the work of Harvard
researcher Dr. Felton Earls on 'collective efficacy'.  This is an idea that
a community's health and its ability to positively and effectively address
crime and other social distressors is based on how effectively
organized/networked/motivated/cohesive neighbors are within the community.
In the article he highlights how a community garden is more than just what
you see – pretty green space/ food/etc – it is the relationships formed and
the group's feeling that they can accomplish things together – that
demonstrate the power of collective efficacy."   *
* *
To find a full copy of the NYTimes article you can search the
www.NYtimes.com <http://www.nytimes.com/> or you can google Felton Earls and
find plenty of references to this article.

As many community gardeners can testify,is that when people are gardening
"in community" they get to know each other, they are more visible on the
street and they watch out for each other.  These are benefits for many
reason but do relate to crime reduction.

Also, if you go to the ACGA website at www.communitygarden.com  then
research, you will find a group of studies that might relate.  ACGA has in
its archives a lot of material on research and, if you need further info,
you might just contact the ACGA office and they can put you in touch with
the Research Committee.  When I was on the ACGA board we had an very active
committee led by Amanda Edmunds.

Finally, several years ago I believe there was a study on the subject
related to urban forests in Chicago and the impact of trees on community
health/crime reduction.  I am not sure how to find that study but someone in
our list serve may have a link to it.

Good luck in your efforts.  Let the rest of us know what you discover.  It
is an extremely important topic.


Ellen Kirby
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