Any improvement to security involves tradeoffs: one trades unlimited freedom of movement for restricted access to achieve control of residence or building entries; one trades total anonymity for recognition among neighbors to be able to share responsibilities with them. Every modification has its price, and in security it is important to ensure that every participant shares an equal desire for these modifications.

A well-designed security system is one in which there is a functioning interrelationship between the various component parts: restrictive barriers, hardware, surveillance equipment, alarms, security personnel, residents, and management. The most costly electronic installation or physical modifications are to no purpose if the people who use them do not understand their functions. Alarms and closed circuit TV are meaningless if there is no one to respond to them. Installation of high quality locks with 1-inch deadbolts is pointless if residents normally use only the stop work or snap latch to lock their doors.

This report is part of the collection of scanned historical documents available to the public.