Home (In)Security
Knowledge is power. Information unlocks access. Think about how access to certain information impacts negotiations.
When it comes to physical access, information unlocks the ability to get inside of a space. Of the one million burglaries in 2023, half occurred in residential home. Compared Oceans 11 like heists, breaking into someone’s home is much easier. This is why it happens so often in the United States. A majority of thieves also get away with it.
Our home should be our safe space. A place where we can rest, spend time with our families, and enjoy our things. Our homes are also a place of paranoia. Especially in a single family detached house, the most common form of housing in America, homeowners can’t help but think “am I going to be next?”
In Geoff Manaugh’s Burglar’s Guide to the City, Manaugh states that burglary is urban and architectural. Single family homes (SFH) are a common target because there are less eyes on the street out. Homeowners who don’t work from home leave their homes vulnerable.
Most of the SFH homes in America aren’t unique - there is some level of repetition. Houses in the same neighborhood have similar architectural patterns and floor plans, which allow burglars to plan their route ahead of time and make their exploits repeatable.
Where do thieves get their information? Google Maps, real estate websites, and driving around neighborhoods to scope out homeowner patterns are all part of how a thief gathers information to unlock access to the home.
While thieves have better access to information, so do homeowners. We’ve entered the era of adding technology to our homes to “make them safer.” Home security systems is a booming industry. Wifi-enabled locks and security systems allow homeowners to monitor their homes away from home. Forgot to lock the front door? Virtually lock it from a mobile device. Motion detected near the front yard? Remotely check the camera to see who’s knocking.
Burglary isn’t a problem that architecture can solve. It’s a societal problem that’s here to stay.