Who Turned Out The Lights

The Case for Leaving it On

Many workplaces leave lights on overnight for security reasons. The logic being, if it looks like someone is there, it might deter unwanted activity, like theft or vandalism. Lights also give us a general feeling of safety.

Marcus Felson, a Professor of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University in New Jersey, suggests lighting is effective in preventing crime if it enables people to notice criminal activity as it is taking place, and if it doesn’t have the unwanted side effect of helping criminals to see what they’re doing.