Crime prevention in urban spaces through environmental design: a critical UK perspective

Piroozfar, P., Farr, E.R.P., Aboagye-Nimo, E. ORCID: 0000-0002-7651-744X and Osei-Berchie, J., 2019. Crime prevention in urban spaces through environmental design: a critical UK perspective. Cities, 95: 102411. ISSN 0264-2751

[img]
Preview
Text
14338_Aboagye-Nimo.pdf - Post-print

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) and the Defensible Space Theory have been adopted to enable the effective use of the built environment to reduce crime. The occurrence of crime is widely accepted to be context-specific. Some explanatory theories have focused on social disorder, alluding to the notion that if such disorders are eliminated from society then serious crime would be eradicated. Numerous approaches have considered the use of environmental design and spatial configuration as a possible solution to reduce crime. The main aim of this study is to gain further understanding of stakeholders’ perceptions of Brixton Town Centre (BTC) in London and thus advance the discourse of CPTED. Using a mixed methodology approach, a visual audit of CPTED, a critical analysis of police crime data, questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews were carried out to gauge the effectiveness of key CPTED intervention principles identified in BTC. It was revealed that since the interventionary measures began in BTC in 2011, there has been an increase in the crime rates for other parts of England and Wales whilst BTC in particular has experienced a decline. A positive correlation was found between length of residency in the area and fear of crime. Lighting was critical to people’s perception of feeling secure. Finally, the research findings revealed that although crime rates had fallen in BTC, stakeholders agree that further improvement was required. This research concludes with a proposal of further study that will theorize the phenomenon occurring at BTC.

Item Type: Journal article
Publication Title: Cities
Creators: Piroozfar, P., Farr, E.R.P., Aboagye-Nimo, E. and Osei-Berchie, J.
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd.
Date: December 2019
Volume: 95
ISSN: 0264-2751
Identifiers:
NumberType
10.1016/j.cities.2019.102411DOI
S0264275118317153Publisher Item Identifier
Divisions: Schools > School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment
Record created by: Jill Tomkinson
Date Added: 31 Jul 2019 09:46
Last Modified: 31 May 2021 15:07
URI: https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/37167

Actions (login required)

Edit View Edit View

Views

Views per month over past year

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year