Recent increases in prison populations and growth in prison construction have brought issues related to prison siting to the forefront. Although the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) syndrome is often discussed in literature pertaining to prisons and community development, relatively little empirical research has been devoted to this topic. Based on a survey of residents of a county in which construction of a new prison was just beginning, this article focuses on the perceived impact of the new prison on future property values, the economy, and the cost of living. Consistent with the literature, proximity to the prison and several demographic variables were found to be significant predictors of perceptions of prison impact. However, concerns about prison visitors coming into the community and expectations about future crime and safety had the strongest impact on these perceptions.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Abrams, K. S., Lyons, W., Cruz, R., Dahbura, A., deHaven-Smith, L., Johnson, P., Kay, D., Kastancuk, L., Marlow, K., Martin, A. T., O'Callaghan, J., Patterson, R., Radford, L., Ross, R., & Scher, R. (1992). Issues in siting correctional facilities: An informational brief. Retrieved February 21, 2004, from www.nicic.org/pubs/1992/010591.pdf
2.
Abrams, K. S., Nicholas, J. C., Opinante, B., McDermott, B., Deister, A. M., Belloit, J., Heise, A., & Galdwin, H. (1985). The socioeconomic impacts of state prison siting on the local community. Miami, FL: Joint Center for Environmental and Urban Problems, Florida International University.
3.
Aldrich, J. H., & Nelson, F. D. (1984). Linear probability, logit, and probit models. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
4.
Ammons, D. N., Campbell, R. W., & Somoza, S. L. (1992). Selecting prison sites: State processes, site-selection criteria, and local initiatives. Athens: University of Georgia.
5.
Babbie, E. (1989). The practice of social research (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
6.
Blumstein, A. (1993). Racial disproportionality of U.S. prison populations revisited.University of Colorado Law Review, 64, 743-760.
7.
Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1997). Census of state and federal correctional facilities, 1995. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
8.
Bureau of Justice Statistics. (1999). Corrections statistics. Retrieved February 21, 2004, from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/correct.htm.
9.
Carlson, K. A. (1988). Understanding community opposition to prison siting: More than fear and finances. Corrections Today, 50(3), 84-90.
10.
Carlson, K. A. (1990). Impacts of a new prison on a small town: Twice blessed or double whammy? Final report of the Clallam Bay Project. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Justice/NCJRS.
11.
Carlson, K. A. (1991). What happens and what counts: Resident assessments of prison impacts on their communities. Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, 17(1/2), 211-237.
12.
Carlson, K. A. (1992). Doing good and looking bad: A case study of prison/community relations. Crime and Delinquency, 38, 56-69.
13.
Cole, D. (1999). No equal justice: Race and class in the American criminal justice system. New York: The New Press.
14.
Dear, M. (1992). Understanding and overcoming the NIMBY syndrome. Journal of the American Planning Association, 58(3), 288-300.
15.
Grieco, A. L. (1978). New prisons: Characteristics and community reaction. Quarterly Journal of Corrections, 2, 55-60.
16.
Halstead, J. M., Luloff, A. E., & Myers, S. D. (1993). An examination of the NIMBY syndrome: Why not in my backyard?Journal of the Community Development Society, 24(1), 88-102.
17.
Hamilton, L. C. (1985). Concern about toxic wastes: The demographic predictors. Sociological Perspectives, 28, 463-486.
18.
Krause, J. D. (1992). The effects of prison siting practices on community status arrangements: A framework applied to the siting of California state prisons. Crime and Delinquency, 38, 27-55.
19.
Lober, D. J. (1995). Why protest? Public behavioral and attitudinal response to siting a waste disposal facility. Policy Studies Journal, 23(3), 499-518.
20.
Martin, R. (2000). Community perceptions about prison construction: Why not in my backyard?Prison Journal, 80(3), 265-294.
21.
Martin, R., Champion, D., & Gibney, T. (2002). Community perceptions about prison construction: A case study. In R. L. Gido & T. Alleman (Eds.), Turnstile justice: Issues in American corrections (2nd ed.) (pp. 176-207). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
22.
Martin, R., Champion, D., Gibney, T., & Radakovic, G. (1999) SCI Pine Grove community impact survey descriptive analyses and report. Camp Hill, PA: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
23.
Martin, R., & Myers, D. L. (in press). Public response to prison siting: Perceptions of impact on crime and safety. Criminal Justice and Behavior.
24.
Maxim, P., & Plecas, D. (1983). Prisons and their perceived impact on the local community: A case study. Social Indicators Research, 13, 39-58.
25.
McShane, M. D., Williams, F. P., & Wagoner, C. P. (1992). Prison impact studies: Some comments on methodological rigor. Crime and Delinquency, 38, 105-120.
Miller, R. (1990). Impact of corrections facilities: Public safety, quality of life, politics. Detention Reporter, 83, 3-10.
28.
Pagel, A. (1988). Prejudice set aside: Communities woo prisons. Corrections Compendium, 12(10), 6-8.
29.
Paternoster, R., & Bachman, R. (2001). Explaining criminals and crime. Los Angeles: Roxbury.
30.
Redman, C. L. (I979). Archeological sampling strategies. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing.
31.
Robertson, C. T., & Ray, M. C. (1994). Public attitudes toward prison capacity expansion in Mississippi. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 19(1), 99-115.
32.
Rogers, G. O., & Haimes, M. (1987). Local impact of a low-security federal correctional institution. Federal Probation, 51(3), 28-34.
33.
Russell, K. K. (1998). Color of crime: Racial hoaxes, white fear, black protectionism, police harassment, and other macroaggressions. New York: New York University Press.
34.
Sechrest, D. K. (1992). Locating prisons: Open versus closed approaches to siting. Crime and Delinquency, 38, 88-104.
35.
Sherman, L. W., Farrington, D. P., Welsh, B. C., & MacKenzie, D. L. (2002). Evidence-based crime prevention. New York: Routledge.
36.
Shichor, D. (1992). Myths and realities in prison siting. Crime and Delinquency, 38, 70-87.
37.
Shoemaker, D. J. (2000). Theories of delinquency: An examination of explanations of delinquent behavior (4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
38.
Silas, F. A. (1984). Not in my neighborhood. American Bar Association Journal, 70(27), 27-29.
39.
Skogan, W. G. (1995). Crime and the racial fears of white Americans. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 539, 59-71.
40.
Takahashi, L. M., & Gaber, S. L. (1998). Controversial facility siting in the urban environment: Resident and planner perceptions in the United States. Environment and Behavior, 30(2), 184-215.
41.
Thies, J. M. (2000). Prison and host communities: Debunking the myths and building community relations. Corrections Today, 62(2), 136-139.
42.
Tonry, M. (1995). Malign neglect: Race, crime, and punishment in America. New York: Oxford University Press.
43.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2001). Profiles of general demographic characteristics 2000: 2000 census of population and housing: Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 21, 2004, from http://www2.census.gov/census_2000/datasets/100_and_sample_profile/Pennsylvania/2kh42.pdf
44.
Vold, G. B., Bernard, T. J., & Snipes, J. B. (2002). Theoretical criminology (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
45.
Welch, R. (1991). Praying for prisons. State Legislatures, 17(3), 28-30.
