Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) suggests that the arranging of buildings and open spaces can either encourage or discourage crime.

Potential offenders are looking for targets of opportunity. They are seeking the path of least resistance.

The way that campuses and buildings are designed and built can have a big effect on the amount of crime perpetrated in those places. Through the proper use of CPTED principals, facilities can be made safer and less prone to crime.

 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is made up of three basic strategies:

  • Natural surveillance - design of facilities so that criminal or improper activity can be naturally observed by employees, tenants, and other stakeholders.
  • Natural access control - design of facilities so that the flow of movement is controlled naturally by site and building features.
  • Territorial reinforcement - design of facilities so that a sense of "ownership" is created, making legitimate users feel welcome, and discouraging illegitimate users.

For more information go to the International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design website or find the Best Practices Guide for Using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design below.