Does Lighting Your Property Actually Make It Safer?

By Karuna Eberl — Family Handyman

A well-lit perimeter might feel reassuring. But excess security lighting can actually foster crime, annoy your neighbors and mess with your health.

Humans tend to fear what lurks in the dark, so it’s only natural our survival instinct bends toward illuminating our property. But does copious lighting really keep the bad guys away and make your home safer? It depends.

“The most common misconception is that more light means less crime, but that is not supported by the data,” says Lt. Ryan Darr, who oversees criminal investigations at the Flagstaff, Ariz. Police Department. “Lighting can illuminate a potential target just as easily as it allows a legitimate user to see a potential threat or criminal.”

For more than two decades, Flagstaff has examined nighttime safety in a new light. As the world’s first certified International Dark Sky Community, city police partner with experts like Christian B. Luginbuhl, the president of the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition, to improve safety while mitigating light pollution.