Criminology Research Council grant ; (22/93-4)
One approach to reducing both criminal activity and fear of crime in urban areas is through deliberate and conscious design of the built environment. This approach to creating safer cities is known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
This research study, which was conducted in selected areas of the Gold Coast, developed an environmental crime prevention instrument designed to operationalise generally accepted principles of CPTED. The study also tested a survey instrument which explored fear of crime and actual experience of crime. The instruments tested whether dwellings, streets and neighbourhoods which score high on measures of CPTED have lower rates and incidence of fear of crime than those which score low on measures of CPTED.
The study attempted to expand the range of options available to crime prevention agencies. A strong association between high household and street CPTED values and low rates of crime was found. Thus, CPTED principles might well be relevant in reducing property crimes.
If good design principles are applied to existing development by upgrading the environmental factors of households, streets and neighbourhoods, property crime rates could be reduced. Similarly, if CPTED principles are adopted in proposed developments, the level of security is likely to be increased.