People’s behaviour and feelings about their safety can be affected by the design of their surroundings – the places they live in. The best way that a local government can improve the safety of public space and facilities in their community is to use crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles in the planning, design, construction and management of public space and community facilities.

Crime prevention through environmental design

Another name for this approach is ‘designing out crime’.

It is not possible to get rid of all crime through environmental design. However good design can make people feel safer and can give people fewer chances to commit crime or behave in an anti-social way. Some areas where good design may make a difference include:

• lighting (streets and other public spaces)
• fencing
• landscaping
• controlling access (gateways, paths, entrances)
• creating a sense of place (for example, a town square)
• neighbourhood clean ups
• traffic movement areas
• land use
• signage
• street enhancement projects
• road closures, road surfacing, paving of footpaths
• refurbishment of street malls and public facilities
• locking and closing off potentially dangerous areas after dark.

Identifying ‘hot spots’

An important first step is to know about the places in a community where most crime happens or where people avoid going because they feel unsafe there.

An Aboriginal shire or Indigenous regional council can work with the local police, the Community Justice Group, men’s and women’s groups and other organisations to develop a good understanding of where and what type of crime occurs.

Ways to do this include:

• asking and involving the community
• analysing crime statistics
• conducting safety audits
• undertaking site assessments
• conducting management audits.

Once a council knows where the ‘hot spots’ are - that is places where most crime or anti-social behaviour happens or places people avoid because they feel unsafe, they can then decide priorities and focus on the most significant problem areas.

The sorts of places that are often seen as ‘hot spots’ include:

• public toilets

• footpaths and laneways

• public parks and sports grounds

• pay telephones and ATMs

• bus stops

• civic centres

• car parks.

Key elements of safe design

Surveillance

This is about making it easy to see what is going on. People who are doing the wrong thing don’t want other people to see them.

Tips:

• have clear sightlines to public spaces from next door buildings, for example - keep plant heights low so that people can easily see parks and community halls or meeting spaces from other places nearby
• have good lighting in places people usually walk, for example - footpaths
• make sure it is possible to see easily through or over fences around public spaces or public buildings.

Access control

This is about encouraging people to use the public area properly. People feel more comfortable using public spaces that have well defined paths or routes and where it is easy to see and be seen, day or night.

It is also about making it harder for people doing the wrong thing to get into places and harder to get away from police or council officers.

Tips:

• create places and roads that allow for proper uses in full view of the community
• think about how best to use gates, steps, ramps to manage how people use or enter a public place
• think about including security screens or bars when planning a new public building - don’t leave it until later.

Territorial reinforcement

This is about encouraging community residents to respect, take pride in and look after public spaces in the community. This is where they live and work and spend their leisure time.

An area that looks well cared for and protected can reduce the likelihood of people wanting to commit an offence there.

Tips:

• use fencing, hedges, structures and surface materials to clearly mark out public space or council property
• create local neighbourhoods with their own character, for example - through Pride of Place activities
• use clear signage, for example - place names, what the space should be used for, relevant local laws.

Making targets of crime harder to access

This is about how to build or protect buildings and places so that offenders cannot get in. Councils need to make these decisions based on priority need - which buildings are the most important to protect.

Tips:

• use shutters and window bars or screens as part of the basic design for places where openings (doors, windows, gates) are likely to be used for break-ins or escape routes
• where fencing is required for security it should be at least two metres high
• think about closed circuit television (surveillance) if appropriate.

Active management and maintenance

This is about making and keeping public spaces attractive, neat and tidy so that people use them and feel safe there.

It includes activities such as landscaping, tree lopping, grass mowing, rubbish collection, removal of graffiti and repairing vandalised property. Keeping lights working is very important - so that walkways and public areas are well-lit all the time. Management and maintenance of public spaces needs to be regular and ongoing.

Tips:

• establish systems for reporting problems and fixing them
• remove graffiti as soon as possible
• establish effective maintenance plans for public spaces
• keep plants pruned and in good condition so it is easy to see
• train maintenance staff to identify and report potential problems
• identify emergency contacts for maintenance in public locations.

Further information

Department of the Premier and Cabinet – Building safer communities: a crime prevention manual for Queensland

Queensland Police Service – Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) guidelines for Queensland – Safety audit programme

Local Government Association of Queensland – Creating safe spaces: Local Governments responding to community safety and crime prevention in public space

Department of Sustainability and Environment Victoria – Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria

Cairns Regional Council – Cairns Community Safety Program

Western Australia Planning Commission – Designing out Crime Planning Guidelines