NCJ Number
92836
Date Published
1983
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This slide/tape presentation suggests ways whereby the design of residential environments can discourage property crimes, notably to improve surveillance of areas, present barriers to access, and increase defensible space.
Abstract
Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) combines the efforts of police, planners, and the community. CPTED may call for a few simple changes to existing areas or a reassessment of plans for new areas. When planning new neighborhoods, the developers should bring police directly into the design process. Taking crime prevention into consideration in community design can include the provision of strategic lighting, attractive landscaping which does not provide areas where offenders may hide or gain unobserved access to homes, and the provision of enclosures that can reduce illegal entry with only a minimum loss of privacy for residents. Existing neighborhoods should be studied by police and citizens in cooperation to determine the extent and pattern of crime and how it might be related to neighborhood design; e.g., if burglary is the major problem and most of the homes are hidden from the view of neighbors, perhaps the answer would be to remove any obstacles to the general surveillance of neighbors' property. Further, attention should be given to the removal of any barriers that prevent police patrols from viewing accesses to residences. Environmental design also involves ensuring that accesses to homes are properly secured with appropriate locks and entrance controls. Community design should also clearly define the areas over which residents have control ('defensible space'). As these areas are expanded, persons are more likely to notice and challenge strangers. This report also provides guidance on planning and coordinating the slide program, including discussion recommendations for the period after the slide presentation.