Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

Article from "Government Security" Magazine

By Robert A. Cizmadia

HIDING SECURITY

IN PLAIN SITE

Given the spread of terrorism in recent decades, and the third year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, it is not surprising that security has become a sustainable feature of modern urban life.  The response to the threat of terrorism has profoundly affected America's urban environment from an architectural, design and street landscape perspective. Retrofitting facilities and sites to improve security has proved challenging, especially in addressing threats associated with blast mitigation and perimeter security issues.  In some cases the response has resulted in the closure of streets, the creation of check points, and the hasty erecting of barriers, and has impacted the aesthetics of our urban landscape, creating a fortress-like environment of fear.

In contrast, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED (pronounced "sep-ted"), is also being seamlessly intergrated as a permanent, effective and visually appealing security planning solutions in our towns and cities across the nation.  Cities and counties, such as Tempe, Ariz., Sarasoto, Fla., and Broward County, Fla., are adopting CPTED ordinances that mandate plan reviews with crime prevention in mind.  The National Capital Planning Commision, Washington, D.C., is also actively involved in addressing the Nation,s Capital urban design incorporating CPTED principles.

CPTED is based on the theory that the proper design and effective use of the built environment can reduce crime and the fear of crime, and improve the quality of life.  Obviously, the best opportunity to apply CPTED, especially from a cost perspective, is in the formulation of site and building master plans and in the early phases of building architectural and urban landscape design.

Common CPTED Strategies

There are three basic and overlapping strategies in applying CPTED: natural surveillance; natural access control; and territorial reinforcement.

Natural surveillance is a design concept directed primarily at facilitating continual observation, thus preventing the opportunity of crime (e.g., proper placement of windows overlooking sidewalks and parking lots, using transparent vestibules at building entrances to divert persons to reception areas, etc.).  Placing physical features, activities, and people in ways that maximize the ability to see what is going on around them is key.  Landscaping and lighting can be pre-planned to promote natural surveillance from inside or outside a building.  This strategy can also be supplemented with the use of security and police patrols and application of closed-circuit television.

Natural Access Control focuses on limiting and providing guided access.  Properly located entrances, exits, fencing, landscaping, sidewalks and roadways, signage, and lighting, all can assist in directing both pedestrian and vehicle traffic in ways that discourage crime.  These design strategies coupled with the use of locks, security personnel and spatial definition (e.g. providing increased scrutiny and limiting escape routes) will create a perception of risk to the criminal element.

Territorial Reinforcement promotes a sense of expressed ownership and social control.  People living, visiting or working in or around an area that is physically designed to protect designated space are more likely to challenge intruders or report suspicious activity.  Such an environment also causes strangers or intruders to stand out and makes them more easily identified.  The use of fencing, seating areas, pavement treatments, art, signs, landscape and good maintenance of facilities and grounds promotes a perception that these defined areas are controlled.

The success of CPTED must consider the design of the physical space and its intended use.  There must be direct connection between the functional objective of space utilization and behavior management.