The Four Forms Of Environmental Design (CPTED)

We are conditioned as humans to create spaces in our homes, jobs, and neighborhoods that make us all feel safe. That sense of safety can come through many different forms. Some individuals may use their trusted dog to act as an alarm to warn them from imminent danger at home or ever for some at work. Man’s best friend, for all intents and purposes, is not always the surest way to prevent or deter criminal acts from taking place. Not only have people used animals to protect themselves and their property but also some go to great measures to build physical structures to help with protection.
Crime prevention through environmental design, also known as CPTED, is a multi-retaliated approach to discouraging criminal conduct through environmental …show more content…
Territoriality by definition is the behavior of animals or people that try to keep others away from an area that they use or control. (Merriam-Webster, 2015) This type of behavior is visible in both the private and public sectors like homes by way of fences, signs, and landscaping to name a few. When a person has constructed a specific area around their home or business, they can easily identify if an intruder that may be approaching their property. Natural surveillance is the second key point in CPTED. Natural surveillance materializes by designing the position of physical features, happenings and people in such a way as to increase visibility and promote positive social interaction. Potential criminals feel magnified scrutiny and restraints on their way to flee the situation. It is normally cost efficient, however its effectiveness to prevent crime alters with each individual offender. Maximizing the natural surveillance capability of such “gatekeepers” as parking lot attendants and hotel desk clerks is also important (Hess, 2009). Activity support is when a community encourages the members of the community to stay active and present to deter criminal activity. These activities in public places foster opportunities for natural surveillance and may include block parties, neighborhood clean-up days, or the design of mini …show more content…
According to a research that was done in s Hartford, Connecticut, using community policing helped lower crimes. The police were not charged to just stop crimes as they happened but to be more present in the neighborhoods that would help prevent crimes. They also carried out programs to improve the appearance, safety, and use of public spaces. Along side community policing, one of the programs created was the security in the public parks. Parks can be refurbished, lighting installed, and opening and closing times scheduled to improve security. Adopt-a-park programs can be used to involve residents in cleaning up trash and litter and providing information to police about illegal activities being carried out in recreational areas. Recreational events can be scheduled to increase the community’s informal social control of these places (Dan Fleissner, 1996). Police participation within communities can incorporate both foot patrol and educating community groups to boost citizens’ sense of safety and resolve neighborhood problems that add to crime and fear of criminal activity. Citizens can work as a team to improve the appearance of the neighborhood and deter offenders. The government can use building security codes and inspections to increase environmental security and discourage any forms of drug use and other criminal