Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

• Provide clear border definition of controlled space (e.g.,
fences, hedges, paving patterns and low walls). Avoid
unassigned space. As much as possible, all space should
become the clear responsibility of someone.

•Provide clearly marked transitional zones that indicate
movement from public to semiprivate to private space. For
example, the sidewalk represents public space and the main
path into a residential development is semiprivate, and a path
that branches to an individual unit(s) becomes semiprivate
and the interior of the unit becomes private space.

• Relocate gathering areas to locations that provide natural
surveillance and access control, as opposed to locations away
from the view of would-be offenders. For example, all play
areas should be located within the central common area of
the building with as many units as possible able to glance or
actively watch children at play.

• Place activities in locations where the natural surveillance of
these activities will increase the perception of safety for
legitimate users and risk for offenders. For example, well used
common areas (safe) may overlook a parking area
(unsafe) to provide additional security for the parking area.

• Place activities in locations to overcome vulnerability of these
activities with natural surveillance and access control of the
safe area. For instance, common toilet facilities and laundry
rooms should not be located in a remote corner of the site or
at the end of a long nameless hallway. Locate these facilities
(unsafe) adjacent to the entry or location where there is
normally high foot traffic (safe).

• Redesign or revamp space to increase the perception or reality
of natural surveillance.


The term CPTED is used to describe a series of
physical design characteristics that maximize
resident control of criminal behavior within a
residential community. A residential environment
designed under CPTED guidelines clearly defines all
areas as either public, semiprivate, or private. In so
doing, it determines who has the right to be in each
space, and allows residents to be confident in
responding to any questionable activity or persons
within their complex. The same design concepts
improve the ability of police to monitor activities
within the community. The proper design and effective
use of public and private space can lead to a reduction in
the incidence and fear of crime, reduction in calls for
police service and to an increase in the quality of life within a
community.

*Thank you to the LAPD for supplying this great information http://www.lapdonline.org/
Also see http://www.cpted-watch.com/