The Pemberton Journal
The Pemberton Journal O fficial Publication
of
Pemberton Heights Neighborhood Association
March 2014, Vol V, I ssue III
PEMBERTON PROFILE: DAVID KIRK
Criminologist Offers Safety Tips
By Jane Hayman David Kirk and his family moved to Westover Road in 2009 after he accepted a faculty position in the Sociology department at UT. A specialist in the impact of neighborhood conditions on crime, education, and other behaviors, he says he looked for three main qualities in choosing an area to raise his family: Good schools, proximity to work, and a community park. “Ally and I moved to Austin just two months after our twin sons were born. We knew we wanted to raise our children in proximity to family, and Austin offered that proximity along with a great professional opportunity (Dave’s mother lives in Austin, and Ally is originally from New Orleans). For a few months we rented a furnished house on Westover, followed by another short-term rental just north of the University. We knew then we wanted to buy in Pemberton and when the right house came on the market we settled in. We love it here and once the Hartford triangle playground is developed, all three of my criteria will be met.” Although he was raised in Dallas and Austin, Dave spent most of his adult life outside of Texas. Upon graduation from Lake Travis High he headed to college at Vanderbilt. From there he went on to work as a management consultant focusing on both the private as well as the public sectors. He left consulting for the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. It was in Washington where Dave met Ally, who, coincidently, had also attended Vanderbilt. (They were only a year apart at college, but their paths had not crossed.) At the time, Ally was working as an International Security Specialist at the U.S. State Department. As Dave’s interest in urban policy and social problems deepened, he decided to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. “Studying in Chicago was like being in a social laboratory. The urban environment was changing drastically, and innovative school reforms were being tried, with many succeeding. My dissertation examined the effects of neighborhood and school conditions on youth behavior, so Chicago was a perfect place to be.” The couple married in 2005. They have twin sons, age 4 (Colin and Finley), and another son, Gavin, who is 21 months old. “We spend our weekends hiking at Mayfield Preserve and playing baseball. We also recently began going over to the driving range at Lions, though finding four hours for a full round of golf is hard to do,” Dave added with a laugh. When asked to suggest crime reduction steps for Pemberton Heights, Dave pointed out that because Pemberton Heights sits between two major thoroughfares, it offers easy access for would-be offenders. “We can’t close off MoPac or the exits that lead into our neighborhood. We can’t block drivers from cutting through our streets to get to UT, the Capitol or downtown. But there are many little things we can do to reduce criminal opportunities in the neighborhood.” “Signs of unoccupied houses can be visible to anyone who passes through. For example, newspapers left on lawns over the weekend, UPS or FedEx packages left on porches overnight, and empty trash cans at the curb all weekend all signal that the occupant isn’t home.” Dave suggests keeping an eye out for your neighbors. If you notice any of these things lingering on your neighbors’ property, take the steps to get them out of sight: pick up the newspaper and the packages, move the garbage cans back, etc. Additionally, he says, “Keep areas around homes well lit. Burglars don’t want to be seen. And let your neighbors know if they forget to close their garage.” “The scholarly name for these sorts of processes is ‘informal social control.’ Studies have shown that knowing and looking out for our neighbors is essential to insuring a safe neighborhood. Neighborliness is one reason why Ally and I so enjoy Pemberton.” Copyright © 2014 Peel, Inc.
David Kirk
PHNA BOARD MEETING REMINDER
The next Board Meeting is scheduled for: March 19 at 6:00 at Howson Library The agenda will include a discussion of the proposed improvements at Hartford Triangle
ANNUAL PEMBERTON EASTER EGG HUNT
The Pemberton Easter Egg Hunt is traditionally held on the Friday morning before Easter. This year, that’s Friday, March 28. So hop on over to 1510 Wooldridge Drive at 10 am (sharp!). Please arrive 10 minutes early…we’ve got some professional egg-hunters ‘round here, and we don’t want you to miss the fun. Egg Drop: Please drop off 20 filled eggs per child between Monday, March 24 - Thursday, March 27. There will be boxes, grouped by age group, on the Harris side of 1510 Wooldridge Drive (to the left of the garage). Special thanks to the participating neighbors on the 1500 block of Wooldridge! Donations: If you’re interested in donating snacks or drinks, please email Lauren Fornes (laurenfornes@gmail.com) on/before March 24. The Pemberton Journal - March 2014
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