Transit stations reduce crime, study shows

University of North Carolina research indicates that transit stations decrease crime. Researchers looked at the vicinity of new light rail stations in Charlotte — comparing these areas to proposed stations that were not built. Crime decreased in both types of areas from 1998 to 2007 — following national trends — but much more in the areas where stations were built.

There can be several explanations for this. Studies have shown that light rail increases property values and spurs mixed-use development. Such development adds "eyes on the street" and activity that makes neighborhoods safer. Another explanation is that transit stations themselves draw more pedestrian traffic, creating safety in numbers.

The study was reported in the Journal of Urban Affairs in December 2011. The website Atlantic Cities reports:

For the study, a trio of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte analyzed data of criminal activity that occurred within a half mile of stations on the [PDF], Charlotte's light rail system. They evaluated monthly trends in the data from 1998, before the line existing, through its announcement in September 2000 and its completion in November 2007, all the way up to 2009. As points of comparison, they also looked at crimes in the station areas of two other proposed light rail lines in Charlotte that were never built, as well as criminal trends in the city at large.

The results of their analysis offer no reason to perpetuate "mugger mover" mythology. Crime near light rail stations dropped following the announcement of the line's creation, and while it increased slightly during the 7 years before the rail's completion, it then fell off again after operation began. After the announcement of the Blue line stations, larceny in those areas dropped by three crimes a month (or roughly 25 percent), burglaries fell one per month (26 percent) and robbery dropped by an average of half a crime per month (32 percent).

The article contrasts these findings with the fear among some officials that transit stations will attract transients and crime. Federal money was turned down for a transit station in Troy, Michigan, partly for that reason, Atlantic Cities reports.