Crime and Building Code Violations
When there is a business in town that is a problem for the police, there’s an excellent chance that it’s also a place with fire and building code violations. In Petersburg, VA a man was shot at a business where the occupancy of the building was 100 more persons than it should have been. http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/local-news/2010/nov/30/pete30-ar-683770/ In the 2 years the business was open, it was cited 9 times for violations of the fire, safety and building codes. Many of the violations were for overcrowding. When I teach my class on the relationship between code enforcement and law enforcement, I explore how effective enforcement of the building and fire codes can reduce crime. My next class is January 7, 2011 at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Il. Many of these crimes can be prevented by being vigilant in our enforcement of fire code regulations, especially at entertainment venues.
