Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
There is a strong relationship between crime, both residential and business, and the built environment of a location. The principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) seek to answer the question of “why is crime occurring in this place?” The principles include natural surveillance, access control, territorial reinforcement, and space management.
Principles of CPTED
Natural surveillance: Maximize visibility of a space so that it is easy to identify an allowed user of a space versus one who is suspicious.
Access control: Ability to control access to a space and delineate whether it is public or private. This looks at how people are allowed to move through the space and clarifies who belongs in that area.
Territorial reinforcement: Create a “sense of ownership” for the normal users of a space which can deter criminals from using that space for deviant activities.
Space management: Create public spaces that are attractive and well maintained, encouraging the use of the space.