Essay paper on Color Schemes of Buildings and Its Effects on Crime

Many factors may influence crimes and criminal behavior. The Broken window theory, for instance, explains major causes of crime by the state and the urban environment. At this point, it is possible to refer to such details of environment as color themes of building, which may also have impact on the criminal behavior and crime rates because, when color themes of buildings are viewed within the framework of the Broken window theory, it becomes obvious that they may either enhance the impression that the area is monitored or, in contrast, they may weaken such impression.

In fact, some specialists (Hayward, 2004) insist that color schemes of buildings may influence crime. To put it more precisely, light and bright colors can prevent crimes, while dark and red colors can provoke crimes. In this respect, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that light and bright colors create the impression of neatness and order. Therefore, individuals find such color theme of building as signals of the strict order in the area and they may believe that the areas is thoroughly monitored that will prevent individuals from anti-social and criminal actions. In stark contrast dark colors create a gloomy impression and individuals may believe that the environment is not monitored that may encourage them to commit crime. In addition, the use of red color may also provoke crimes. For instance, many psychologists (Hayward, 2004) point out that red color provokes aggression in individuals. Therefore, if the red color dominates in color schemes of buildings, individuals may grow aggressive, especially if the red color is bright.

At this point, specialists (Sutton, 2001) remind that neat and ordered environment is very important for the prevention of crime along with the color scheme of buildings. What is meant here is the fact that color scheme alone is not enough to prevent as well as to provoke crimes. Instead, the color theme of buildings just complements the environment. Consequently, if the environment is disordered dark color theme can enhance the negative impact of the environment and provoke crime. At the same time, light and bright colors may decrease the negative impact of disordered environment but still they cannot change it completely. Similarly dark or bright red colors cannot change singicantly neat and ordered environment.

Specialists (Stewart, 1998) recommend developing similar color themes of buildings located close to each other. In such a way, they create the sense of unity and, if an individual feels that a building is monitored, he/she is likely to have similar associations in relations to buildings located next door which have the same or similar color theme. As a result, the color scheme of buildings can contribute to the safety or, in contrast, provoke crimes. Therefore, the choice of the color scheme of buildings can affect the crime rate. However, it is important to remember that the color theme is one of many factors that may influence crime but the color scheme of buildings is not the determinant factor that defines the criminal behavior of individuals.

 



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