CRIME, DESIGN AND URBAN PLANNING:FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE1

First published in the Royal Australian Planning Institutemagazine, New Planner, June 2001.

Phil McCamley2

IntroductionCriminals, like most people are motivated by needs, desires and the probable costs andbenefits of behaviour. With few exceptions, offenders don’t want to be caught orpunished. Nor do they want to invest significant time and energy in crime if the risks ofbeing caught are high and the returns are low. It is no accident that burglars often targetone or two houses in a street and leave the rest; rapists will strike at particular places andtimes, armed robbers choose targets with clear escape routes and car thieves consistentlyfavour certain shopping centres, commuter carparks and streets. Criminals in other words,often make choices about who or what they victimise.

Crime Prevention through Environmental DesignCrime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) fosters positive communityinteraction and influences offender decision-making. It uses planning, design and placemanagement strategies to reduce the likelihood of necessary crime ingredients fromintersecting in time and space. CPTED reduces crime opportunities by increasing the riskto offenders, increasing the effort required to commit crime, reducing opportunities forexcuse making (eg, spatial ambiguity is commonly used by burglars to justifytrespassing) and reducing the likely rewards of criminal behaviour (Clarke & Homel,1997).

CPTED strategies fall into 4 broad categories; territorial reinforcement, surveillance,access control and space management.

Territorial ReinforcementCommunity ownership of public space sends positive signals to the community. Placesthat feel owned and cared for are likely to be used, enjoyed and revisited. People are alsomore likely to be protective of places with which they feel some connection or affinity.Effective design, planning and space management helps to stimulate natural communitypolicing.

1 Printed in Royal Australian Planning Institute, New Planner, June 2001.2 Phil McCamley M.Arch, B.Soc Sci (Crim), MAITDPhil is a Chief Inspector with the NSW Police Service and manager of the Safer by Design project. If you wish to enquire about designsafety, the Safer by Design program or CPTED training, please contact mcca1phi@police.nsw.gov.au or phone 02 92655030.

SurveillancePeople feel safe in public areas when they can see and interact with others, particularlypeople connected with that space, such as shopkeepers and adjoining residents. Criminalsare often deterred from committing crime in places that are well supervised. Naturalsurveillance can be achieved by creating effective sightlines between public and privatespace; strategically positioning buildings, accessways and meeting places; matchinglighting types with crime risk (as required in Australia and New Zealand PedestrianLighting standard ANZS1158.3.1) and by using attractive landscaping.

Access ControlPhysical and symbolic barriers can be used to attract, channel or restrict pedestrian andvehicle movement. They minimise opportunities for crime and increase the effortrequired to commit crime. By making it clear where people can and cannot go, itbecomes difficult for criminals to reach potential victims and targets. Effective access

Strategically located activitiesenhance supervision in public places

Site rules at a skate park.This code was jointly developed bycouncil and the young people thatuse this space

Attractive, well-used parkland withbalanced landscaping and opensightlines

Car parking facilities with lightpainted ceilings and walls often feelbright and spacious. Generally, theyrequire fewer lighting fixtures anduse less electricity (to meet minimumlighting standards)

control can be achieved by creating landscapes and physical locations that channel andgroup pedestrians into areas.

Space ManagementSpace Management is linked to the principle of territorial reinforcement. It ensures thatspace is well used and maintained. Strategies include activity coordination, sitecleanliness, rapid repair of vandalism and graffiti and the refurbishment of decayedphysical elements.

Uncontrolled access to this sitefacilitated the concealment of anoffender - and the entrapment of hisvictim. Predatory criminals have usedmany sites just like this.

The placement of this ATM besides a ‘blind’alleyway creates preventable crime risk

Evidence of “prior crime” often generatesfear and avoidance behaviour. Rapidremoval has a positive effect in curbingillegal graffiti and fear.

Well maintained space is often wellused and well supervised.

Safer by Design: CPTED in practiceThe Safer by Design program commenced in NSW in the early 1990s. Based upon theprinciples and practice of CPTED, the program is a co-operative initiative involving theNSW Police Service, local councils, government departments and key private sectororganisations. The aim of the program is to ensure that development proposals areroutinely assessed for crime risk, and that preventable risk is reduced beforedevelopments are approved.

Some NSW councils routinely apply CPTED principles when assessing developmentproposals. While the widespread application of ‘generic’ CPTED strategies can reducecrime opportunities, the environmental context of places can work against design basedstrategies, rendering them ineffective or even dangerous. Installing pedestrian lighting inareas where there is no one to see what is lit, for example, may actually increase crimerisk. Similarly, using boomgates in some carparks can result in high levels of carbonmonoxide. It is important therefore, that contextual considerations and site risk areproperly identified, measured and assessed by trained personnel before design-based riskmitigation strategies are recommended.

The NSW Police Service assessment tools Safer by Design Evaluation and a Companionto the Safer by Design Evaluation are based upon Australia and New Zealand RiskManagement Standard 4360:1999. These tools are provided to persons participating inSafer by Design training courses. The Evaluation facilitates objective, transparent andcontextually weighted decision-making. The Companion outlines research-basedstrategies capable of minimising crime risk within the built environment.

DUAP Design Safety GuidelinesIn April 2001, the NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP) introducedlegislative guidelines to Section 79C of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act,1979. These guidelines outline Council responsibilities to identify crime risk and tominimise opportunities for crime though the appropriate assessment of developmentproposals.

“Councils have an obligation to ensure that a development providessafety and security to users and the community. If a development presentsa crime risk, these guidelines can be used to justify: modification of the development to minimise the risk of crime, or refusal of the development on the grounds that crime risk cannot be

appropriately minimised” (DUAP, 2001:2)

The Guidelines contain two parts. Part A outlines circumstances when councils shouldinitiate a crime risk assessment (for the purpose of considering a developmentapplication). These are conducted in cooperation with trained local police.

Part B outlines basic design safety principles that should be considered when councilsassess developments.

Councils and local police are encouraged to identify the types of development that will‘typically’ require a crime risk assessment, and prepare a consultation protocol. Protocolsare location (need) based agreements which outline the types of development that will bejointly assessed, how consultation will occur and timeframes for consultation. Subject tocouncil discretion, development types not listed in local consultation protocols will notrequire a formal crime risk (CPTED) assessment.

The Department of Urban Affairs and Planning is also working with the AustralianBuilding Codes Board to incorporate crime prevention strategies into the Building Codeof Australia.

Safer by Design CoursesTo help consent authorities to identify and reduce crime opportunity during theassessment of development proposals, the NSW Police Service has been asked to provideSafer by Design training to planners, designers, crime prevention officers and other keyprofessionals.

Commencing in May 2001, Safer by Design courses will be held in metropolitan andrural centres across New South Wales. Course content includes: Criminology and crime prevention Historical applications of CPTED Identifying crime risk in architectural plans and drawings Lighting, fear and crime Crime risk management and CPTED applications Councils, planning and design safety.

Course facilitators are experienced practitioners with backgrounds in environmentalcriminology, architecture, risk management systems, community based crime preventionand lighting design (engineering).

Further information about Safer by Design, course dates, locations and costs can be foundat the Safer by Design webpage www.police.nsw.gov.au “Crime Prevention and theassessment of development applications: Guidelines under section 79C of theEnvironmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979” can be downloaded at this site.

CPTED Q&As

Didn’t they introduce CPTED in the 70’s and 80’s?CPTED was introduced approximately thirty years ago. At that time, design safety was fashionable morethan practical. Considerable research, experience and complementary criminological practices have refinedand fortified contemporary CPTED to the point where it is now recognised as a key crime prevention tool(Eck, U.S Senate, 1997; Herbert, UK Home Office, 1997; IRC, Inquiry 1880:1997; NSW Govt, 2001).

Isn’t CPTED just common sense?CPTED is sensible, but it is not commonly applied. The introduction of legislative guidelines under section79C of the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act will shift CPTED from sensible theory tocommon practice.

If you know about sightlines and target hardening, you know about CPTED!False. Approximately 150 socio/economic, physical and behavioural elements are assessed when Safer byDesign (CPTED) crime risk assessments are conducted.

Why worry about design safety when you can just install security cameras?CCTV can be an effective crime prevention strategy when it is part of a broader crime prevention andcommunity safety package. CCTV, however, can be very expensive and labour intensive. Typically, CPTEDpractitioners only recommend electronic surveillance measures when crime risk is high and other crimereduction strategies are unlikely to minimise that risk.

Is there a link between the built environment, fear of crime and area prosperity?People - particularly women, older people and children often avoid places that look or feel threatening. It iswell proven that fear induced avoidance behaviour can negatively impact quality of life, area reputation,local employment, the value of real estate and the prosperity of businesses.

Why is the Police Service providing Safer by Design training?The NSW Police Service is widely recognised as a leader in the development, training and promotion ofCPTED. Although the Service is helping to satisfy a current need, it is important that universities andcolleges incorporate ‘core’ design safety education into future undergraduate and professional developmentcourses.

Will we end up with fortified suburbs and privatised public space if we implement CPTED?Safer by Design is not about gated communities or privatising public space. ‘Natural’ community policing isa by-product of good planning, design and healthy community interaction. CPTED aims to build out crimeopportunities by building in people.

Are consent authorities required to assess crime risk in every development application?Yes. Using design safety principles outlined in Part B of Crime Prevention Guidelines to Section 79C of theEnvironmental Planning and Assessment Act, council staff will (solely) assess the majority of developmentproposals. Larger, more complex proposals will be jointly assessed by council staff and trained police(DUAP 2001).

Will crime risk assessments bottleneck the approvals process?Local consultation protocols between consent authorities and police commanders will be developed in eachLGA to ensure that crime risk assessments are carried out in an appropriate, timely and effective manner.These can be modified if required.

Authorisation StampDocument Owner: NSW SafeComm Last Modified: 29 April 2003Contact Number: 9858 7973 Document Created: 29 April 2003