Design has an important role to play in preventing crime and reducing criminal activity without compromising the enjoyment and usability of products, places and services by legitimate users. The Design Against Crime approach aims to reduce the negative consequences of criminogenic affordances. It derives from CPTED – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design – a crime prevention theory focusing on tactical design and the effective use of the built environment. It’s a multidisciplinary approach of crime prevention that uses urban and architectural design and the management of built and natural environments. If designers consider the ways in which the object, systems or environments they are designing might be susceptible to crime – and do this early enough in the design process – they can prevent crime from occurring, or at least reduce the opportunities for offender behaviour.

 

This webinar deals with the question, how by researching abuser ‘needs’ such as loopholes and weaknesses in systems, situations, premises or environments designers can apply this creativity and innovation to developing sophisticated solutions that can prevent and ultimately pre-empt crime. The participants will learn, how this makes people and communities feel safer. Recognising that crime, vandalism and antisocial behaviour are issues of high public concern, and that the driving forces behind crime are numerous, good design can help tackle many of these issues. Through integrating simple crime prevention principles in the design process, it is possible to make residential environments much safer.