Lost in space: Exploring CPTED in Practice

• In Event: WG-PLACE 4: Perspectives on Crime and Criminal Behaviour

Abstract

The practice of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) draws on the work of sociologists and planners from the mid-twentieth century onwards who have explored the relationship between human behaviour and the urban physical environment. In recent decades, nearly all state and territory governments in Australia have established CPTED-related guidelines and policies. In Victoria, local councils routinely require designers to incorporate CPTED principles in tenders and engage the police to conduct or participate in CPTED audits. Meanwhile, CPTED training is mainly delivered by private contractors and most practitioners are untrained.

This presentation reports on a study conducted to review the nature and efficacy of CPTED, assess current CPTED practices in Victoria, Australia, and identify the need for enhanced training. The research encompassed interviews with urban planning and design practitioners, focus groups with police officers, and a survey of local council members.

Our study found significant variations in the definition, merits, and implementation of CPTED within Victoria, aligning with existing literature. Notably, a tension exists between evidence-based approaches to improving safety in a pro-social manner and the prevailing securitisation focus of CPTED in practice. To address this, we propose changes to CPTED practice that foster a better shared understanding of the evidence base for inclusive prevention of crime in public space.

Author

• Ruth Liston, Victoria University