CRIME AND PUBLIC SERVICES - PREVENTION/REDUCTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

• NCJ Number: 51891
• Journal: CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 1-7
• Author(s): J A FRANK
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: California Office of the Attorney General Crime Prevention Unit
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN IS DISCUSSED AS A TOOL FOR USE BY PERSONS INVOLVED IN CRIME PREVENTION/REDUCTION, AND TYPICAL CONCERNS IN PLANNING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ARE NOTED.

Abstract

IDEALLY, REDIRECTING A PERSON'S DESIRE FROM COMMITTING CRIME IS THE MOST POSITIVE WAY OF REDUCING CRIME. THIS IS NOT THE ROLE OF CRIME PREVENTION OFFICERS. SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ARE AVAILABLE TO ATTACK THE PROBLEM OF CRIME BY REDUCING AND/OR ELIMINATING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMIT CRIME. CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS ARE INHERENT IN UNDERSTANDING HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN PLAY AN EFFECTIVE ROLE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. FIRST, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT MAY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ALL FACETS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. SECOND, CONCRETE AND BARBED WIRE, WHILE THEY MAY PREVENT SOME CRIME, WILL NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED BY CITIZENS AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGNING THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT. THIRD, INPUT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT MUST BE OFFERED AS WELL AS SOUGHT. FOURTH, PLANNING IS NECESSARY. FIFTH, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE COMMUNITY MUST COOPERATE IN PROVIDING A SAFE AND LIVABLE ENVIRONMENT. THREE LEVELS OF PLANNING IN MANY CITIES ARE PRELIMINARY, TENATIVE, AND PRECISE PLANNING. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTS ARE INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS INTENDED TO ENABLE DECISIONMAKERS AND THE PUBLIC TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE COMMUNITY. THE FOLLOWING ARE EXAMPLES OF DESIGN FEATURES WHICH HAVE BEEN CHANGED THROUGH POLICE INPUT TO PRODUCE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT: ADDRESSES AND STREET NAMES, EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS, AND ILLUMINATED UNIT NUMBERS. MOST CITIES HAVE A SYSTEM FOR ASSIGNING STREET NUMBERS TO BUILDINGS, BUT MOST HAVE NO PLAN FOR ADDRESSING UNITS WITH OFF-STREET DESIGNATORS. POLICE AND OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICES OFTEN FACE PROBLEMS WITH REGARD TO EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS AND ILLUMINATION DURING DARKNESS. THE NEED FOR GREATER INVOLVEMENT BY ALL PARTIES IN THE FIELD OF CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN IS EMPHASIZED. (DEP)