Hey You! Stop or I'll Bach Blast You!

Can music be used to deter crime? Or does music just move crime farther away? And is it ethical to use music as a weapon, even against elements of our society that are less than desirable? These and other questions were raised in Jacqueline Helfgott's talk "Halt or I'll Play Vivaldi," part of the Library of Congress's Music and the Brain series.

Jacqueline Helfgott is from Seattle University, the author of Criminal Behavior: Theories, Typologies, and Criminal Justice (2008). Norman Middleton of the Library of Congress's Music Division joined her on the program March 13th at the Library's Jefferson Building.

The discussion started with Middleton quoting William Congreve, in The mourning bride, 1697:

Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast,
To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.
I've read, that things inanimate have mov'd,
And, as with living Souls, have been inform'd,
By Magick Numbers and persuasive Sound.

He also cited the Biblical example of David playing his lyre for king Saul when an evil spirit would overtake him, and Saul was relieved. In 1989, the U.S. Army bombarded the Vatican Embassy in Panama City with loud rock music as it tried to capture former strongman Manuel Noriega. Mr. Middleton also cited cases of the West Palm Beach, Florida police using classical music to deter crime and of the Rockdale, Australia authorities using Barry Manilow to drive off teenagers who were revving their cars in parking lots. This effort was after the authorities had tried using something called the mosquito, a high-pitched squeal that the teenagers could hear, but adults cannot. Apparently Barry Manilow was not happy with being used as a crime control element, but the kids left the parking lots anyway.

Mozart meets CPTED

Dr. Helfgott then told the audience about the prevailing criminological theory called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design or CPTED.

The Dr. Helfgott raised some questions about the use of classical music as a crime prevention technique. Is classical music a good way to control crime? What about the relationship between music style and culture or subcultures? And finally what are the ethical and methodological issues in studying the use of classical music as a crime deterrent.

One factor she asked the audience to consider was the so-called situational aspects of crime prevention. She mentioned that there is a relationship between the high aesthetic - such as the presence of classical music - and a perception of a lower risk of crime.

"Basically they're using music as a territorial marker," she said. "Classical music is saying 'we are going to beautify this area, and part of that is to play classical music so you (criminals) need to move down the street.'"

She said different music was one of several ways to set boundaries, including lifting building entrances to make them seem distant, increased lighting , and senior citizens playing pinochle in a city park.

Potato Chip theory?,

Another theory put forth in the discussion was the idea of changing the environment to make crime less tempting. This included making spaces where crime is not okay. This included using music as a territorial boundary. One factor Dr. Helfgott pointed out was that certain music types are often associated with what she called "hyper-masculine" identity, including gangsta rap, metal and punk music. But the music did not produce the aggressive behavior, it merely accompanied it.

"A lot of this is about what we are all told is associated with being hip, young, and cool," Helfgott said. "This is less about the music and more about the sub-cultural ritual and identity."

The criminologist expressed concern about using music to mark territory and to influence behavior. She said the ethical implications are disturbing, in that "it has the impact of exploiting classical music and takes use away from the larger conversation about why we are doing that."

During the question and answer period, Dr. Helfgott pointed out that the use of classical music in certain areas does not deter crime, it diffuses it. "We are moving it a block away," she said. "If we had studies that showed that it actually reduced crime ... then it certainly has the potential to be used in a negative way."

The educator was asked about the use of classical music in prisons to deter violent behavior. She had just been to a criminologists' convention and had spoken to a warden who said classical music was used in his prison with positive effects.

"But, if you you start playing classical music in a maximum security prison without changing the rest of the environment, it is not going to have a huge effect," Helfgott said.

There were many subjects which Dr. Helfgott said would merit further study, including whether men prefer different music to women. The discussion ended so the audience could attend a chamber music concert in the Coolidge auditorium.

I found this discussion fascinating, though it seemed sometimes that the audience was looking for Helfgott to say something she wasn't ready to say - the classical music can be used to deter crime through changing the brains of the criminals. That might be asking too much, even of Mozart.