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Objective <p>Street lighting can influence crime by modifying the built environment and opportunities for crime. Existing evidence comes from localized projects, portable lighting towers, and short-term blackouts. These contexts differ from the citywide light-emitting diode (LED) upgrades many jurisdictions have recently undertaken. This research evaluates the large-scale LED retrofitting of street lighting in Mesa, AZ, which started in 2019 and is anticipated to be completed by 2026.</p> Methods <p>Using eight years of incident-level data aggregated to street segment and hexagon levels, the study employs a staggered difference-in-differences design. Subgroup analyses explore how effects vary by land use and green infrastructure, while also tracking changes in foot-traffic mobility.</p> Results <p>The results indicate a decrease in crime, driven by declines in theft and low-level offenses, with no detectable change in violent crime. The effects are concentrated on the street segment of the intervention, with limited spatial spillovers. Residential, commercial, and industrial zones seem to be affected differently by LED lighting. Increased foot traffic may have contributed to the changes in crime.</p> Conclusions <p>The results suggest that citywide LED street lighting interventions, even when implemented gradually over several years, can accrue public safety benefits.</p>

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Does LED Street Lighting Reduce Crime? Evidence from a Staggered Large-Scale Retrofitting Program

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月15日

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  • David Mitre-Becerril

摘要

Objective

Street lighting can influence crime by modifying the built environment and opportunities for crime. Existing evidence comes from localized projects, portable lighting towers, and short-term blackouts. These contexts differ from the citywide light-emitting diode (LED) upgrades many jurisdictions have recently undertaken. This research evaluates the large-scale LED retrofitting of street lighting in Mesa, AZ, which started in 2019 and is anticipated to be completed by 2026.

Methods

Using eight years of incident-level data aggregated to street segment and hexagon levels, the study employs a staggered difference-in-differences design. Subgroup analyses explore how effects vary by land use and green infrastructure, while also tracking changes in foot-traffic mobility.

Results

The results indicate a decrease in crime, driven by declines in theft and low-level offenses, with no detectable change in violent crime. The effects are concentrated on the street segment of the intervention, with limited spatial spillovers. Residential, commercial, and industrial zones seem to be affected differently by LED lighting. Increased foot traffic may have contributed to the changes in crime.

Conclusions

The results suggest that citywide LED street lighting interventions, even when implemented gradually over several years, can accrue public safety benefits.