I'm wanting to find the most credible source possible for a particular
urban legend, although simply a link to a description or discussion of
it would work.  Ideally I want to point to some source that makes it
look like a reasonable story to pass along.  If that isn't possible, I
would at least like to prove I didn't make it up (it's ok if someone
else did).

Here's the story:

Crime patterns in NYC redistributed after the introduction of
all-night Starbucks.  Muggers would think twice before attacking
someone where there is an audience of insomniacs drinking cappuccino. 
Corners with Starbucks (with the large picture windows overlooking the
streets) saw a statistical decrease in crime.  Nearby areas not in
view saw an increase.

I don't recall where I heard this (I didn't make it up)
It may not be true (although there is a certain logic to it)
I've done a web search without success

---

Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 28 Dec 2002 09:29 PST

Dear nick37-ga 

I’m reluctant to post this as an answer as it does not give a
definitive answer to your question  (if one exists). I will post it as
an answer if you will accept it. I suspect some of the story came from
Starbucks themselves when they reviewed security at their stores
following a triple murder of three employees in 1997. On the site,
Security Management online, there is an article by Francis D'Addario,
CPP, Director, Partner and Asset Protection, Starbucks Coffee Company,
dated October 2001.  He describes how at certain locations (including
New York) the company introduced “natural surveillance and crime
prevention through environmental design (OPTED) by making windows
highly visible to passersby and police patrols”; and “interactive
video and audio, which focused on each point of sale and the counting
surface in the manager's office. Security phones were added to allow
partners to "direct connect" to the central station in the event of an
emergency. These measurer resulted in the lowest known robbery rate
per thousand at 13.”
http://www.securitymanagement.com/library/Security_D'Addario1001.html

This does not provide information for crime outside of Starbucks.
However, once it became known that the store had a direct link to the
local police station crime this would have no doubt reduced crime in
the immediate vicinity.

You may also wish to view:
National Sheriffs’ Association
Article: An Ounce of Prevention Provided Through Environmental Design
Timothy Crowe, an author, trainer and internationally known expert in
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
“…….There are general strategies. Some are derived from common law
such as clear border definitions of space. We will try to put safe
activities in unsafe locations [to affect crime]. Starbucks, for
example, is putting coffee kiosks in large airport parking
structures…….”
http://www.usaonwatch.org/newsdetail.asp?AID=58

answerfinder-ga

---

Clarification of Question by nick37-ga on 28 Dec 2002 11:21 PST

answerfinder, thanks for the legwork and I appreciate you posting as a
comment.  I need to get to the "see-I didn't make it up!", and your
chain of logic makes perfect sense, but isn't something I can send to
my sceptic.  Can you find anything claiming results in external crime
from Starbuck's use of environmental design? (or possibly another
company with distributed locations, like a convenient store? - I could
argue that the concept is sound and the particular article just
happens to highlight a company other than Starbucks.)

---

Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 28 Dec 2002 12:18 PST

Dear nick37-ga
Thank you for your response. I shall research this area.
answerfinder-ga

---

Request for Question Clarification by answerfinder-ga on 29 Dec 2002 03:05 PST

Dear nick37-ga 

I have not found any crime statistics in relation to Starbucks and New
York. So I have been able to answer your question completely.
However, I have found that the Starbucks design of windows is an
important part of the theory of “Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design” CPTED. Making specific improvements to problem
areas to prevent crime, for example: improve lighting, remove small,
confined places (entrapment), improve sight lines and surveillance.
A discussion of the theory can be found at
http://www.crimewise.com/library/cpted.html
and http://www.cpted-watch.com/ (Commercial properties)
The theory also discusses territory,
http://www.cpted-security.com/cpted17.htm refers to
"....Territoriality can be accomplished by using a hierarchy of space,
such as subdividing public spaces into semi-public and semi-private
spaces. For example, a Starbuck's Coffee Shop which places chairs and
tables onto the sidewalk directly in front of their store tends to
reassign this public as part of Starbuck's territory. This can help
deter loiterers from hanging in front of the store..."  "...Good
territoriality demonstrates a sense of "ownership", alerting potential
offenders that they don't belong there and they will be seen and
reported., because undesirable behavior will not be tolerated."

Many US communities, large and small, have adopted the theory of CPTED
in new developments and re-developments. Here are two examples:

Minneapolis.
Awards for environmental designs.

Black Mesa Coffee Shop This dated strip mall from the 1980s was the
blight of the neighborhood. The
dark, deteriorated canopy was the perfect hiding place for drug
dealing. Using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
principles, the dark canopy was removed, and the drug dealing went
along with it. In addition, a large window was added to the West Side
of the building to provide more “eyes on the neighborhood.” The Black
Mesa Coffee Shop is proof that “Crime Prevention Through Environmental
Design” does indeed work.

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/citywork/planning/sections/cue/awardbook2001.pdf

Another successful design can be found at
http://www.nlc.org/nlc_org/site/newsroom/nations_cities_weekly/display.cfm?id=4351116E-8B47-4C35-AE9F8D8222382F75

More information on the theory can be found using the following search
terms:
"crime prevention through environmental design"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22crime+prevention+through+environmental+design%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off

Perhaps these may help you in your argument.
answerfinder-ga

---

Request for Question Clarification by markj-ga on 29 Dec 2002 03:49 PST

nick37 --

The following is a brief quote from CNN.com stating that increased
night-time commercial activity on a Tempe, AZ street has increased
crime on nearby side streets.  I am sure that I could find other
published sources for this unsurprising proposition.  Unfortunately,
specific references to Starbucks remain elusive, but I will keep
looking.  Would you be interested in a collection of references along
the lines of the CNN.com excerpt?


"While downtown revival seems to be suppressing crime in Phoenix, the
opposite may be the case in Tempe. Enhanced nightlife on Mill Avenue
apparently has triggered a rise in street crime in the alleys and side
streets leading off the main thoroughfare. Reputedly this is the most
heavily patrolled area by police in the state, so Mill itself
shouldn't generate anxiety. Just take care in the peripheral areas
after dark."
CNN.com/Weather (1/4 of the way down the page)
http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/bta/newcities/AZ/PhoenixPHX.ra.html

markj-ga

---

Clarification of Question by nick37-ga on 29 Dec 2002 20:04 PST

Answerfinder, thanks for the additional research.  Go ahead and post
as an "Answer".  It isn't exactly on target with what I was wanting to
find, but definitely much more than I was able to find on my own.


Markj, thanks for the different angle.  The CNN comment isn't quite
what I'm needing, so no need to seek similar.

Best,

-nick37

Dear nick37-ga 
Thank you for accepting this answer.

I suspect some of the story came from Starbucks themselves when they
reviewed security at their stores following a triple murder of three
employees in 1997. On the site, Security Management online, there is
an article by Francis D'Addario, CPP, Director, Partner and Asset
Protection, Starbucks Coffee Company, dated October 2001. He describes
how at certain locations (including New York) the company introduced
“natural surveillance and crime prevention through environmental
design (OPTED) by making windows highly visible to passersby and
police patrols”; and “interactive video and audio, which focused on
each point of sale and the counting surface in the manager's office.
Security phones were added to allow partners to "direct connect" to
the central station in the event of an emergency. These measures
resulted in the lowest known robbery rate per thousand at 13.”
http://www.securitymanagement.com/library/Security_D'Addario1001.html

I am unable to provide statistics on crime outside of Starbucks.
However, I suspect that once it became known that the store had a
direct link to the local police station crime this would have no doubt
reduced crime in the immediate vicinity.

As mentioned above, the Starbucks design of windows is an important
part of the theory of “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design”
CPTED. Making specific improvements to problem areas to prevent crime,
for example: improve lighting, remove small, confined places
(entrapment), improve sight lines and surveillance.

A discussion of the theory can be found at
http://www.crimewise.com/library/cpted.html and
http://www.cpted-watch.com/ (Commercial properties)

The theory also discusses territory,
http://www.cpted-security.com/cpted17.htm refers to
"....Territoriality can be accomplished by using a hierarchy of space,
such as subdividing public spaces into semi-public and semi-private
spaces. For example, a Starbuck's Coffee Shop which places chairs and
tables onto the sidewalk directly in front of their store tends to
reassign this public as part of Starbuck's territory. This can help
deter loiterers from hanging in front of the store..." "...Good
territoriality demonstrates a sense of "ownership", alerting potential
offenders that they don't belong there and they will be seen and
reported., because undesirable behavior will not be tolerated."

Many US communities, large and small, have adopted the theory of CPTED
in new developments and re-developments. Here are two examples:

Minneapolis. Awards for environmental designs. 
Black Mesa Coffee Shop. 
This dated strip mall from the 1980s was the blight of the
neighborhood. The dark, deteriorated canopy was the perfect hiding
place for drug dealing. Using Crime Prevention Through Environmental
Design (CPTED) principles, the dark canopy was removed, and the drug
dealing went along with it. In addition, a large window was added to
the West Side of the building to provide more “eyes on the
neighborhood.” The Black Mesa Coffee Shop is proof that “Crime
Prevention Through Environmental Design” does indeed work.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/citywork/planning/sections/cue/awardbook2001.pdf

Another successful design can be found at
http://www.nlc.org/nlc_org/site/newsroom/nations_cities_weekly/display.cfm?id=4351116E-8B47-4C35-AE9F8D8222382F75

More information on the theory can be found using the following search
terms: "crime prevention through environmental design"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22crime+prevention+through+environmental+design%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off

You may also wish to view: National Sheriffs’ Association Article: An
Ounce of Prevention Provided Through Environmental Design. Timothy
Crowe, an author, trainer and internationally known expert in Crime
Prevention Through Environmental Design “…….There are general
strategies. Some are derived from common law such as clear border
definitions of space. We will try to put safe activities in unsafe
locations [to affect crime]. Starbucks, for example, is putting coffee
kiosks in large airport parking structures…….”
http://www.usaonwatch.org/newsdetail.asp?AID=58


Many thanks
answerfinder-ga
Search strategy
Variations of:  Starbucks crime prevention reduction New York Coffee
shops architecture design "crime prevention through environmental
design” CPTED and links followed from various sites found under these
search terms. LexisNexis
Other search engines.