NCJ Number
188738
Journal
Security Journal Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: 2000 Pages: 71-78
Date Published
2000
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the available evidence on the success of the Secured By Design (SBD) scheme in countering household burglary.
Abstract
The SBD scheme was devised in 1989 by police forces in southeast England to counter household burglary. The goal was to influence the layout of estates or groupings of houses and also the capacity of the houses to withstand crime, primarily burglary. SBD typically involved a cul de sac design that intended to reduce access and anonymity. Within this enclosure houses were inwardly oriented in a circular fashion to maximize natural surveillance and provide the opportunities for neighbors to recognize and relate to each other. Symbolic and actual barriers were used to define ownership of space, and "target hardening" measures are placed at building entrances. Despite the expansion of SBD, only two published evaluations have been conducted to date. A review of these evaluations showed that SBD schemes had reduced the incidence of burglary and the fear of crime, while increasing residents' perceived quality of life. The current challenge is to identify which components of the scheme are having the desired effects. This involves a closer look at the relative explanatory power of each of the variables within SBD. 2 tables and 30 notes