Perkins, D.D., Florin, P., Rich, R.C., Wandersman, A. & Chavis, D.M. (1990). Participation and the social and physical environment of residential blocks: Crime and community context. American Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 83-115.

Perkins et al. (1990) explored the effects of participation on the social and physical environment of residential blocks and the level of crime in the community. The study involved 80 blocks in five cities across the United States. The researchers used a quasi-experimental design and evaluated the effects of resident participation in neighborhood groups, the availability of social services, the quality of the physical environment, and other neighborhood characteristics. They found that resident participation, the presence of social services, and a high quality of the physical environment were all associated with lower levels of crime in the community. However, resident participation was the most significant factor, which suggests that involving residents in decision-making and neighborhood activities can be an effective way to prevent crime and improve the social and physical environment of the community. (Keywords: community participation, crime prevention, neighborhood groups)