What does the writer suggest about the fear that dark streets increase crime?
Light pollution affects more than astronomers. Streetlights that shine upwards or into windows disturb sleep, and research suggests that artificial light at night confuses migrating birds and disrupts the breeding patterns of insects. Some cities have responded by fitting shields to lamps so that light points only at the ground, and by dimming lights after midnight. These measures reduce energy bills as well as glare, which has helped win support from councils otherwise indifferent to wildlife. Resistance remains: residents fear that darker streets will increase crime, though studies have so far found no clear link between street lighting levels and crime rates. Perhaps for this reason, the most successful schemes are those that explain their purpose to residents before the lamps are changed.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Studies have not found a clear link
- Step 1: The passage states no clear link has been found.
Answer
Studies have not found a clear link.
Why not the others: The passage rules out strong evidence of a link, and it does not make crime the main reason for failure or limit it to residential areas.
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