Behind the Gates: Life, Security, and the Pursuit of Happiness in Fortress America

The findings of Behind the Gates provide opportunities for improvement in policy and design implications. It is likely that the trends and culture of society outweigh the conclusions drawn by this book. People will continue to demand gated communities, and developers will continue to build them, which is disappointing to say the least.

Expertly researched and informatively written by Setha Low (Professor of Anthropology and Environmental Psychology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York), Behind The Gates: Life, Security, And The Pursuit Of Happiness In Fortress America is an impressive and scholarly study of the gated communities phenomena. The gated commu-nity is the fastest-growing form of housing in the United States. Individual chapters address the origin of the gated community; its emphases on safety and fear of crime; as well as a means of enhancing property values, and promoting insularity -- yet the ironic results are that gated communities are statistically no safer than the suburbs in general. A fascinating social study, and very highly recommended reading for anyone seriously concerned about the trend toward gated communities or seriously considering moving to one, Behind The Gates is a welcome and original contribution to American Urban Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.