The Effects of Street Cleaning on Serious Crime and Gun Violence: A Block Randomized Controlled Trial

• In Event: Improving Public Safety Through Lighting, Street Cleaning, and Murals

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of street cleaning interventions on gun violence and street crimes through a block randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The intervention, conducted on 150 high gun-violence street segments, tested the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s LandCare Block Cleanup (LCBC) program, which provided biweekly and monthly trash removal, weeding, and sidewalk sweeping. Enhanced cleaning services, such as free trash and recycling bins, were also provided to a subset of segments. While the intervention resulted in a significant 16% reduction in visible litter, its effects on gun violence and street crimes were statistically insignificant. These findings challenge the assumption that basic environmental cleanups alone can sufficiently reduce violence, suggesting that crime prevention efforts require more comprehensive place-based strategies. This study highlights the need for interventions that address broader criminogenic dynamics, such as abandoned structures and open-air drug markets, and provides actionable insights for policymakers and urban planners seeking scalable, non-policing crime reduction strategies.

Authors

• John MacDonald, University of Pennsylvania

• Wilson Hernandez, University of Pennsylvania

• Anthony Braga, University of Pennsylvania

• Charles Branas, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health