The Effects of Street Cleaning on Serious Crime and Gun Violence in Philadelphia, 2023-2024: A Stratified Randomized...

Objectives. To determine if street cleaning interventions reduce gun violence and street crime. Methods. We conducted a stratified randomized controlled trial of 300 high gun violence street segments in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, assigned to either a street cleaning intervention or a no-intervention control. The intervention provided biweekly or monthly trash removal, weeding, and sidewalk sweeping. Some segments received enhanced services, including free trash and recycling bins. Results. The biweekly and monthly intervention significantly reduced visible litter, by 16% (95% confidence interval [CI] = -24%, -8%; P < .01) and 17% (95% CI = -28%, -5%; P < .05), respectively. The biweekly and monthly intervention yielded a statistically insignificant reduction in gun violence of 27% (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.42, 1.28) and 4% (IRR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.44, 2.06). Street crime outcomes were similarly insignificant. Conclusions. Basic environmental cleanups reduce visible litter but do not significantly reduce gun violence or street crime. More comprehensive place-based prevention strategies are likely needed. Public Health Implications. Scalable, nonpolicing public health approaches to reduce violence and serious crime should consider interventions that target broader environmental factors beyond basic street cleaning until further study demonstrates otherwise. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(8):1171-1179. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308429).