3.2✅

• environmental design: some criminologists argue that the built environment can affect the level of crime by influencing potential offenders e.g. presenting them w/ opportunities to commit crime
• environmental design: some criminologists argue that the built environment can affect the level of crime by affecting people's ability to exercise control over their surroundings
• environmental design: they argue that agencies such as architects, builders, town planners + local councils can 'design crime out' by changing the physical layout of an area
• defensible space: the architect Oscar Newman argues that some spaces are defensible while others are indefensible
• indefensible spaces: are where crime is more likely to occur in what we call 'confused' areas of public space such as anonymous walkways + stairwells = they belong to no-one, are care for by no-one and are observed by no-one
• indefensible spaces: e.g. in his study of high-rise blocks in New York, Newman found that 55% of all the crimes committed occurred in public spaces such as hallways, lifts, stairwells + lobbies because no-one felt they 'owned' them
• defensible spaces: are areas where there are clear boundaries so it is obvious who has the right to be there, Newman argues that defensible spaces have low crime rates because of 4 key features = territoriality, surveillance, a safe image + a protected location
• territoriality: is where the environment encourages a sense of ownership among residents = the feeling that it is their territory + they control
• territoriality: certain layouts also tell outsiders that particular areas are for the private use of residents e.g. cul-de-sacs project a 'private' image and encourage a sense of community
• natural surveillance: features of buildings such as easily-viewed entrance lobbies + street-level windows allow residents to identify + observe strangers
• natural surveillance: cul-de-sacs allow residents to overlook each other's homes, by contrast = high-rise blocks often have concealed entrances that allow offenders to come and go unseen
• a safe image: building designs should give the impression of a safe neighbourhood where residents look after each other, a negative image means the area will be stigmatised (negatively labelled) + targetted by offenders
• a safe location: neighbourhoods located in the middle of a wider crime-free area are insulated from the outside world by a 'moat' of safety
• crime prevention through environmental design: Newman's ideas about defensible space were developed further by the American criminologist C.R. Jeffery = he introduced the approach known as Crime Prevention through Environmental Design or CPTED
• crime prevention through environmental design: Jeffery argued that the built environment can either create or deny opportunities to criminals = by altering this environment therefore we can reduce crime
• crime prevention through environmental design: in the UK Alice Coleman adopted a similar approach, she analysed 4,099 blocks of flats in 2 London boroughs, she concluded that the poor design of many blocks produced higher rates of crime + anti-social behaviour
• crime prevention through environmental design: she found that 3 design features encourages crime, they are anonymity, lack of surveillance + easy escape
• crime prevention through environmental design: Alice Coleman recommends that no more blocks of flats should be built
• crime prevention through environmental design: Alice Coleman recommends that each existing block should have its own garden or private space so residents would look after it
• crime prevention through environmental design: Alice Coleman recommends that overhead walkways should be removed because they obstruct surveillance
• crime prevention through environmental design: Alice Coleman's ideas have been influential w/ planners + have led to attempts to 'design crime out'
• crime prevention through environmental design: to design crime out = on the Lisson Green estate in West London = there was the removal of overhead walkways led to a 50% reduction in crime
• crime prevention through environmental design: to design crime out = some police forces now employ architectural liaison officers to 'build in' crime prevention features at the design stage for new buildings
• crime prevention through environmental design: to design crime out = the 'Secured by Design' (SBD) kitemark scheme used the building industry indicates that a new building meets crime prevention standards, Home Officer research found a 30% lower burglary rate in SBD houses
• gated lanes-e.g. of CPTED: gated lanes also called gated alleys are an example of a CPTED tactic to 'design crime out' of an environment
• gated lanes-e.g. of CPTED: gates lanes are lockable gates installed to prevent offenders gaining access to alleyways such as those at the rear of many older terraced hoouses
• gated lanes-e.g. of CPTED: they are used mainly to prevent burglaries but may also stop fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour by youths congregating, dog fouling etc, as well as creating safe play areas for children
• how do gates lanes work?: in a review of 43 studies = Sidebottom et al found that gates reduced burglary there are many reasons for the reduction
• how do gates lanes work?: reasons that is works = they provide a physical barrier thus increasing the effort required to commit a crime
• how do gates lanes work?: reasons that is works = residents taking responsibility for closing the gates increases guardianship + surveillance
• how do gates lanes work?: reasons that is works = gates increase residents' sense of territoriality
• how do gates lanes work?: reasons that is works = offender can no longer use the excuse that they thought it was a public space
• how do gates lanes work?: reasons that is works = open alleys may suffer from the 'broken windows' problem of disorderly, uncared-for space that invites crime, gating indicates it is a care-for space that doesn't tolerate crime
• how do gates lanes work?: reasons that is works = gating may reduce the rewards of crime e.g. it will be difficult to steal large objects if the offender has to climb over tall gates w/ the items
• how do gates lanes work?: reasons that is works = cost may be an issue for residents in some areas, although Sidebottom et al found that the average cost was £728 per gate + that the average benefit was over twice the cost
• limitations-gated lanes: while they may decrease criminals entering from outside, they don't work against criminals who live within the gates area
• limitations-gated lanes: in areas where neighbours don't know or don't trust each other, residents may be less likely to get together to install gates or may not take responsibility for them
• limitations-gated lanes: there may be difficulties installing gates if the alley is a public right of way, or if it has several owners all of whom will need to agree, there needs to be full consultation w/ residents to win their commitment to the scheme
• limitations-gated lanes: gated lanes can restrict access for emergency services + refuse collectors = which can be a problem
• CPTED + theory: CPTED has links w/ the following right realist theories + ideas = situational crime prevention (SCP), Felson's routine activity theory + rational choice theory