Alley-gating revisited: the sustainability of resident's satisfaction

Alleys (snickets, ginnels, backways) are particularly common in British industrial cities
and were originally designed to allow access to the rear of properties by coalmen and
refuse collectors. Although alleys are still useful to allow residents access to the rear of
their property without walking through the house, they also provide a means of entry and
escape for offenders. Alley-gating is a crime reduction measure that involves the
installation of a lockable gate across an alley, preventing access for anyone who does not
have a key. This paper presents the findings of a study undertaken to examine the
sustainability of Liverpoool s Alley-gating scheme (a robust evaluation of Liverpool s
scheme was undertaken in 2002 see Young et al, 2003; Bowers et al, 2004). It
specifically reports on the results of a residents survey undertaken in gated and nongated
areas. The findings are compared with those from 2002. The results suggest that the
positive impacts on perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour, and experience of
crime and anti-social behaviour have been maintained over a four year period in
Liverpool.