Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ST PETERSBURG POLICE

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ST. PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME PREVENTION UNIT www. stpete. org/sppd

Disclaimer No CPTED recommendations can positively ensure or guarantee a crime free environment.

Crime • Crime is defined as “an act or commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to be punished by that law. ”

Crime Categories • Reported – Many of our decisions about what to do about crime are based upon reported crime, which do not include security incidents which may or may not be reported to the police • Reporting crime is motivated by – Social norms and morals of right and wrong – Insurance claims

Crime Categories • Unreported – A large number of crimes fall into the category of unreported crime because the victim considers them minor and not worth reporting • Reasons for crime being unreported – Fear – Apathy – Influential third parties, wealth, social, cultural

Crime Categories • Undetected – This is a large category of crime that is committed against corporations and organizations. Since it is not acknowledged, it obviously goes unreported • Types – Employee theft – Shoplifting – Theft of information or ideas – Insurance Fraud

Crime Prevention • Only 3 ways to prevent crime – Organized • Neighborhood Watch, security guards, police – Mechanical • Locks, lights, alarms, gates, fences, CCTC – Natural • This is where CPTED lives

What is CPTED? • The proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to the reduction in the incidence and fear of crime and thereby improve the quality of life. In other words, if a site is laid out well, the likelihood of it being targeted for a crime may be reduced

Playing the Odds • CPTED is most effective in preventing opportunistic crimes such as – Theft – Burglary – Vandalism – Auto theft – Drug and Prostitution related crimes

CPTED Overlapping Strategies • Natural Surveillance • Territorial Reinforcement • Natural Access Control • Maintenance

Strategies – Natural Surveillance • Design the space to allow visibility by legitimate users and keep possible intruders under observation • Make the offender’s behavior more easily noticeable

Recommendations Natural Surveillance • Use interior shelving and displays no higher than five feet, even less in front windows • Fully illuminate the exterior of the building and grounds at night • Place any pay telephones within clear view of employees

Recommendations Natural Surveillance • Place all entrances under visual surveillance • Design water retention areas to be visible from the building or street. They should be visual amenities neither hedged nor fenced which could allow undesirable activities to be hidden

Recommendations Natural Surveillance • Install and use good lighting at all exterior doors, common areas, and hallways • Position restrooms to be observed from nearby offices

Examples – Natural Surveillance • The open design of the stairs and guardrail allows the parking to be under constant surveillance by anyone leaving or looking out of their apartment

Examples – Natural Surveillance • The windows allow patrons to observe any activity on the street around the business

Examples – Natural Surveillance • Allow window signs to cover no more than 15% of windows • Too many signs may lead to unsafe feeling by potential customers

Strategies – Territorial Reinforcement • Territorial reinforcement is marking territorial control of a space while discouraging potential offenders who perceive this control and avoid it

Strategies – Territorial Reinforcement • Territorial reinforcement employs such design elements as sidewalks, landscaping, and porches to help distinguish between public and private areas and helps users exhibit signs of “ownership” that send “hands off” messages to would-be offenders • People take more interest in something they own or when they feel intrinsically involved

Recommendations Territorial Reinforcement • Make private areas distinguishable from public areas • Identify shops with wall signs for those parking in the rear • Position parking areas to be clearly visible from the building or street with neatly marked spaces • Design fences to maintain visibility from the street • Position security and/or reception areas at all entrances

Examples – Territorial Reinforcement • Accentuate building entrances with architectural elements to guide visitors and announce the transition from public space to private space

Examples – Territorial Reinforcement • Mark property boundaries, where possible, with hedges, low fences or gates • The low fence defines space but still allows surveillance

Examples – Territorial Reinforcement • Identify shops with wall signs and address numbers at the rear if parking is provided at the rear

Natural Access Control • Natural access control employs elements like doors, shrubs, fences, and gates to deny admission to a crime target and to create a perception among offenders that there is a risk in selecting the target.

Natural Access Control • The primary thrust of an access control strategy is to deny access to a crime target • Physical and mechanical means of access control-locks, bars, and alarms can supplement natural access control measures if needed

Recommendations Natural Access Control • Clearly mark public paths. Make private areas harder for non-employees to access • Use signs to direct patrons to parking and entrances • Provide rear public access to shops if rear public parking is offered • Reduce the number of public access points to those which are watched by guards, receptionists, nearby tenants, or passing traffic

Examples - Natural Access Control • Locate check-out counters at the front of the store, clearly visible from the outside. When positioned near the main entrance, employees can better watch activities

Examples - Natural Access Control • Install plantings and architectural design features such as columned gateway to guide visitors to desired entrances

Examples - Natural Access Control • Use signs to direct visitors to appropriate buildings, entrances and parking

Maintenance • Maintenance, including cleaning, repairing and landscaping, needs to be performed routinely to encourage use of the space for the intended purpose and discourage abnormal and criminal use. • Maintenance sends a clean signal that someone cares about the space and is likely to defend it against intruders or vandals

Recommendations Maintenance • Keep buildings and walks clean and repaired • Remove faded posters, broken signs, and other displays that are beyond their useful lives • Keep plantings trimmed and in good condition

Examples - Maintenance • Maintain parking areas to a high standard without potholes or trash

Examples - Maintenance • Keep all litter and trash picked up at all times

Examples - Maintenance • Keep trees and shrubs trimmed back from windows, doors and walkways. • Keep shrubs trimmed to 3 feet and prune lower branches of trees up to 7 feet

Lighting • Lighting is an important element in any site design. Whether a single house or a shopping mall, appropriate lighting techniques should be used • Good lighting will help people to feel more comfortable with their surroundings • It should provide clear paths for movement and highlight entryways without creating harsh effects or shadowy hiding places

Examples - Lighting • Design lighting system for pedestrians that enables people to better see one another and reduce the potential risks of nighttime walks • Keep pedestrian lighting out of trees

Landscaping • Planting of landscape material should allow for an open line of sight between area frequented by residents and potential crime targets, limiting hiding places where criminal activity can occur

Landscaping • Keep dumpsters visible and avoid creating blind spots or hiding places, or place them in secured, locked areas

Something to Think About… • If 76% of house burglaries occur through forced entry on rear entrances, why is it we always have our biggest and best locks on the front door?

Thank You! Questions?