What is CPTED?
CPTED is a set of review tools based on ideas from Jane Jacobs and her work related to natural surveillance. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) can be used by planners, designers, and architects to approach crime prevention/reduction. This can be done at both the design stage of a project and the physical retrofit stage. With proper design/implementation, CPTED can improve the quality of life and reduce the incidents and fear of crime on a site. It is built upon 4 main principles (as below), meant to influence people before potentially choosing to commit a criminal act. The 5th principle is not widely held as a main principle but is still an important factor in deterring or even prosecuting criminal activities.
These scientifically based principles, when applied effectively, can dramatically reduce the likelihood of potential perpetrators committing criminal activities. The overarching theme is increasing the perception of a controlled environment, being observed, and propriety. This is achieved through Natural Surveillance, Natural Access Control, Territorial Reinforcement and Maintenance, followed by Logical Fortification. These principles are detailed below, but the main driving factor behind them all is the prevention and promotion of proper behavior.
Who needs or uses CPTED?
Anyone designing a building or planning a site should consider CPTED Principles. The benefits and long-term cost savings can be huge for any size of development. If everything else is equal, using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles from the outset can save time on redesigns, produce better results, and even increase property values (as well as potentially reduce insurance premiums).
Even existing sites and buildings can benefit from a CPTED review because it can show how best to allocate limited resources within the confines of the building(s) already in place. Any building or site that sees repeated crime occurring on the premises should (among other things) have a CPTED review done to determine what actions can reasonably be taken to reduce the likelihood of continued crime occurrences.
What are the principles behind CPTED?
The 4 main principles of CPTED are:
- Natural Surveillance
- Natural Access Control
- Territorial Reinforcement
- Site Maintenance
The 5th, quasi-principle is:
- Logical Fortification
In more detail, Natural Surveillance is about maximizing visibility and the opportunity for observation through the placement and design of physical and social site features. This includes the placement of gathering spaces and points of interest, a building’s orientation, lighting, windows, entrances/exits, parking lots, walkways, security stations, fencing, landscaping, vegetation, signage, and any other physical obstructions. Maximizing the lines of sight across and through a site can dramatically reduce crime rates, simply because a potential perpetrator feels observed. Strategic lighting, regular trimming of landscape features, and designs that encourage communal use allow for more Natural Surveillance.
Natural Access Control focuses on logically restricting/encouraging and safely channeling the movement of people and vehicles around a site. This covers entrances, exits, pedestrian and vehicle separations or guards, and the pathways between them and any gathering places. This allows ease in identifying individuals who stray from the areas intended for public use and gives a perception of control in the area. These techniques should be coupled with Natural Surveillance for maximum effectiveness. This includes limiting unobserved and uncontrolled access to a site/building.
Territorial Reinforcement uses features such as defined pavement markings separating public, private, and semi-private spaces (as an example). This can also be accomplished with physical separations such as fences, bollards, landscaping, and guard rails, or simply with a sign, or a shift in ground surface type. These delineations offer an easy way to identify those who venture beyond acceptable area limits and give the perception of ownership and a sense of restricted use. Again, this principle should be combined with Natural Surveillance for maximum effectiveness.
The obvious level of Maintenance a site/building has can dramatically affect people’s perception of care/ownership of the property. A poorly maintained site gives the impression of abandonment (and encourages) unruliness, while a very well-maintained building gives the perception of constant vigilance and pride. Having all of a site’s lighting in a working state goes far in perpetuating a perception of good maintenance, but good lighting on broken, rusty equipment or areas strewn with waste somewhat defeats the goal of pride of ownership. Overall maintenance can be difficult for certain sites, but with good site design, including placement of waste receptacles, snow repositories, and regular cleaning, any site can appear occupied and cared for. Along with Natural Surveillance, proper maintenance can dramatically reduce the attractiveness of a site for potential criminal activity.
The principle of Logical Fortification deals with what are often reactionary efforts to crime occurrences. Designing a site/building with this principle in mind can reduce the amount of needed renovations and upgrades a site might require after the fact. Especially regarding cost. Designing a site with security cameras in mind can eliminate potential blind spots that a site renovation can’t overcome without an excessive number of cameras. Using different materials in building construction or even landscaping can have dramatic effects on potential crime. Using materials that are easy to clean, difficult to break or even to appear dangerous can reduce the likelihood of crimes in the area because of a perception of strength or retaliation. A fountain with many sharp, metal corners and slippery surfaces is not very attractive to steal coins from, while a thin, glass sculpture at ground level may be attractive for vandalism. Taking steps to provide physical hindrances for crimes at the design stage can dramatically reduce the likelihood of crime.
Are there any recent advancements in this field?
Several newer principles in CPTED’s Crime Prevention Design Services center around community strength and social connections. This is not a replacement for the older principles, but rather additional considerations. They represent the fact that no space exists in a vacuum and design principles should consider the wider community. These principles may not apply to every site, as there are many limitations for small sites in these respects, but large sites that plan on several buildings or subdivisions can certainly use them to great effect. They are:
- Social Cohesion
- Threshold Capacity
- Connectivity
- Community Culture
Social Cohesion represents a community where visitors, as well as residents, participate in the community and have a sense of neighborliness, communal goals, activities, and sharing of spaces. This can be designed by utilizing design elements that can accommodate festivals, local markets, and other gathering opportunities.
Threshold Capacity deals more with the surrounding land uses than one site in particular, but essentially seeks to have a diversity of many factors to better integrate with a community and not overwhelm a particular factor. Varied densities and varied land use in an area promote better connectivity while cramming a bunch of high-density housing in an area with little to no amenity space and commercial and retail opportunities creates migratory population movement and promotes seclusion. Each type of use will have a threshold after which adding more of such use will be detrimental to a community.
The Connectivity of a community can include things like the infrastructure that provides access to the community or adjacent green spaces that connect to other communities. The more connected a community is, the better it can respond to issues, problems, and even threats. Having a fire station one block away down a major road provides a sense of safety from fire, while a small community at the end of a cul-de-sac in the middle of an industrial area can lead to segregation.
Having a sense of place can be very important for Community Culture. Expert-level CPTED Consultants can safeguard the community to the maximum level while enhancing the sense of belonging. Creating a shared history by including elements of public art, festivals or community facilities forms stronger communities and puts out a sense of togetherness that helps people feel welcome. Promoting design elements that provide opportunities for local culture to flourish also helps communities flourish.
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