Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) in Ontario, Canada, is working to upgrade the lighting around the General Hospital to improve safety for staff and patients, but experts say that lights are not enough, according to an article on the Inside Hamilton website.
"There are still so many other things that are situational … just improving lighting doesn't necessarily make an area safe," crime prevention officer Const. Steve Mahler said
If you're alone, it doesn't matter how bright it is. Having a buddy system, or using a walkout program to be escorted to your car after work.
"Ninety-six per cent of crimes occur when you're on your own, " Mahler said.
As part of a safety review, HHS has committed to improving lighting on hospital property.
HHS is now asking for the surrounding streets to be bumped up the city's priority list, as street lamps across the city are switched over to brighter LED bulbs.
Prof. Robert Gordon, who teaches criminology at Simon Fraser University, said that while bright lights can deter would-be criminals from an area, they are most effective when combined with cameras.
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