HD10 - Crime in Highway Rest Areas
Executive Summary: Purpose The purpose of the study is to analyze criminal activity in highway rest areas and to formulate appropriate recommendations for reducing such crime. Background In the 1990 session of the General Assembly, House Joint Resolution Number 96 was passed, requesting the Department of State Police and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VODT) to study crime in highway rest areas. There are 40 highway rest areas in Virginia. According to figures provided by VDOT, an average of 140,800 people visit Virginia's rest areas each day. Each rest area has a custodial staff responsible for cleaning, refuse disposal, repairs, painting, mowing, and general maintenance. Seven rest areas are staffed 24 hours a day. Staffing hours at the other rest areas vary, but generally extend from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Resources This study is a result of a cooperative effort between the Department of State Police and VODT. Both departments contributed substantially to the production of the study. Additionally, the following agencies participated in crime prevention evaluations of selected rest areas: Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Virginia Crime Prevention Association Prince William County Police Department Emporia Police Department Methodology VODT supplied all background information on rest areas, including the 24hour traffic counts used to determine the number of persons visiting the rest areas. In order to analyze criminal activity, all Preliminary Investigative Reports (S. P. Form 102) and Complaint/Request/Incident Reports (S. P. Form 103) originating in rest areas between January 1, 1989, and April 30, 1990, were collected. Local law enforcement agencies were also contacted for information on rest area crimes and arrests handled by their personnel. All information collected was analyzed to determine the type and level of criminal activity in rest areas and to identify any crime trends or patterns. Reported criminal activity was also examined to identify rest areas with relatively high levels of criminal activity. Eight rest areas were so identified and selected for site evaluations. During each site evaluation, crime prevention specialists conducted a security analysis to identify vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement. In addition, a survey was conducted among 15 states to determine the level of rest area crime in other states am the techniques used to address such crime. Crime Analysis For the purpose of this study, "criminal incidents" were examined. These incidents include crimes reported by victims, complaints of criminal activity reported by citizens, arrests made by law enforcement personnel, and situations requiring a law enforcement response. Between January 1, 1989, and April 30, 1990, there were 133 reported criminal incidents in Virginia's rest areas. During this 16-month period, over 68 million people visited these rest areas. When compared to the number of people visiting Virginia's rest areas, the number of reported criminal incidents appears quite insignificant. On the average, there was one criminal incident for every 513,443 visitors to rest areas. The following table presents a breakdown of criminal activity in rest areas by incident type. Incident Type/Number Grand Larceny: 20 Recovered Stolen Vehicle: 18 Drug Offense: 16 Petit Larceny: 11 Robbery: 9 Vandalism: 9 Homosexual Activity: 8 Suspicious Person(s): 7 Indecent Exposure: 5 Assault: 5 Parking Complaint: 4 Prostitution: 4 Rape: 3 Homicide: 2 Mental Subject: 2 Accident: 1 Domestic: 1 Driving Under the Influence: 1 Drunk in Public: 1 Escape of Prisoners: 1 Habitual Offender: 1 Reckless Driving: 1 Runaway: 1 Unauthorized Use of Vehicle: 1 Weapons Violation: 1 _____________________ TOTAL: 133 Approximately 14% of the incidents involved violence, such as homicide, rape, robbery, and assault, while the remaining 86% were nonviolent. Although there is no discernible pattern concerning the day of occurrence, a pattern was detected involving the time of day in which criminal activity occurred. Approximately 46% of criminal activity in rest areas occurred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., when most rest areas are unattended. Site Visits Eight rest areas that exhibited relatively high levels of criminal activity were selected for site evaluations. The following vulnerabilities at the rest areas were identified: 1. Excessive landscaping significantly decreases visibility in the rest areas. 2 Lighting problems, such as burned-out light fixtures, dirty light fixtures, and light fixtures overgrown by trees were observed. 3. A need was identified for a prominent sign at each rest area, designating the name and exact location of the rest area. 4. Very few of the telephones examined were labeled with the location of the rest area. On the phones that were labeled, the information was difficult to locate and barely legible. 5. Many picnic tables in the rest areas were isolated and/or concealed by landscaping. 6. Contract custodians were only distinguishable by their uniform shirt, while VDOT custodians wear full uniforms consisting of a uniform shirt and pants. 7. At some rest areas, rest room windows were left open, providing an unobstructed view of rest room occupants. 8. Alternate rest rooms were left unlocked when not in use. 9. State Police personnel are not required to make formal reports of certain misdemeanor offenses reported in rest areas. Law Enforcement Initiatives The Department of State Police uses a variety of methods to combat crime in rest areas, including patrol, the use of narcotic detector dogs, and surveillance and undercover operations. Other states surveyed rely predominantly on high visibility patrol, surveillance/undercover operations, and crime prevention through environmental design. Recommendations The following recommendations are offered to reduce crime and enhance public safety in highway rest areas. A. Landscaping • Trees should be thinned to increase visibility of the rest areas from the interstate and to improve visibility within the rest areas. • Trees blocking light fixtures should be pruned or removed. • Low-hanging branches should be removed up to a height of 8 feet. • Shrubs that obscure visibility because of their size or location should be pruned or removed. • Shrubs around rest room windows should be removed. B. Picnic Areas • The size of picnic areas should be reduced by removing all isolated tables. C. Signs • All rest areas should have a prominent sign, designating the name and exact location of the rest area. • Mr. R. L. Fink of VDOT estimates that VDOT can produce the signs at a cost of approximately $100 per sign. $100 x 40 rest areas = $4,000 D. Telephones • All rest area telephones should be clearly labeled with the name of the rest area, the exact location, and the toll-free telephone number of the State Police Division Headquarters. This information should be conspicuous by both its size and location on the instrument. E. Lighting • Light fixtures should be carefully maintained so that problems with dirty or burned out fixtures are immediately corrected. • After the removal of overgrowth from around light fixtures, VDOT should have crime prevention experts evaluate rest areas at night to determine if the current lighting is adequate. F. Custodians • Contract custodians should be required to wear full uniforms consisting of a uniform shirt and pants. • Custodians should be encouraged to maintain a high profile presence by periodically walking about the rest areas. • Custodians should be trained to recognize and report suspicious activity. G. Rest Area Operations • Alternate rest rooms should be kept locked when not in use. • At least one of the glazed rest room window panes should be kept in the lower position to prevent observation of the rest room from the outside. The upper portion of the sash may be left open for ventilation, if necessary. H. Law Enforcement Operations • In order to accurately document crime in rest areas and develop appropriate strategies to address such crime, State Police personnel should be required to make formal reports of all crime reported in rest areas. For misdemeanor offenses not requiring the completion of the State Police Preliminary Investigative Report (S. P. Form 102), troopers should utilize a Complaint/Request/Incident Report (S. P. Form 103) or a memorandum to the division commander. I. VDOT should confer with crime prevention practitioners before additional rest areas are designed and built in order to effectively utilize the concepts of crime prevention through environmental control. |
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