Re-Evaluation of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design in Portland, Oregon - Executive Summary

• NCJ Number: 80573
• Author(s): J Kushmuk; S L Whittemore
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 56 pages
• Grant Number(s): 79-NI-AX-0061
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Portland (OR) Office of Justice Planning and Evaluation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report reevaluates the 1974-1978 Portland, Oreg., Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program, studying the impact of CPTED efforts on a declining mixed-use commercial area.

Abstract

CPTED generates changes in the physical and social environment -- specifically, better access control and surveillance as well as more positive attitudes toward the environment among the nonoffender population and greater disincentives for offenders to commit crimes. The study used interviews with 78 businessmen, 100 residents, and 15 key community personnel in Portland's Union Avenue corridor, and crime data from the Portland Police Bureau. Each of the CPTED interventions was assessed by its activities (both in demonstration and postdemonstration periods), estimated costs of implementation and maintenance, and level of attainment. The most important finding of the reevaluation was that commercial burglaries were reduced. This was attributed to a combined security survey, the use of security advisors, and a streetlighting program implemented as part of CPTED. Although there were decreases in street crimes, commercial robbery, and residential burglary, these could not be attributed to CPTED activities. Fear of crime was somewhat higher than expected based on actual crime conditions. Other conditions, including quality of life, physical security and appearance, and social cohesion in the business community, showed a pattern of stabilization since the end of the CPTED demonstration 2 years before the reevaluation. The most successful CPTED strategies were the security advisor services and the organization of the business community around crime prevention concerns. Proposed large-scale architectural improvements planned for Union Avenue did not occur, but 11 high-visibility bus shelters were installed along with a limited program of street redesign. The reevaluation of the Portland CPTED experience suggests that (1) a realistic timetable should be established for CPTED projects, (2) changes in the social environment are more difficult to accomplish than physical changes, (3) changes involving a smaller number of agencies and special interests are more likely to be implemented than large-scale changes, and, finally, (4) that a successful CPTED program generally depends on augmenting existing resources. Tables, graphs, and 17 references are supplied.