Cpted PowerPointPresentation

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

Houston Police Department Public Affairs

Property of the Houston Police

Department

Introduction

We live with crime every day. Unfortunately, it has become a fact of life. Discussions on the subject have traditionally focused much more on arrest and punishment than on crime prevention; measures that cannot be taken until after a crime has been committed. Preventing crime offers tremendous savings to everyone.

Property of the Houston Police Department

Crime An act or commission of an act that is

forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law.

Property of the Houston

Police Department

Types of Crime

Reported crimes.

Unreported crimes.

Unacknowledged - shrinkage

Undetected

Property of the

Houston Police

Department

Fear of Crime

Public perception is

that crimes of all kinds

is rising and that public

safety faces a greater

and greater threat.

Globe and Mail


Crime Prevention

Crime Prevention is the

anticipation, recognition

and appraisal of a crime

risk and the initiation of

some action to remove or

reduce the risk


What is CPTED? Pronounced sep-ted

Crime

Prevention

Through

Environmental

Design


CPTED Defined

CPTED (pronounced sep-ted) is based on the

premise that the proper design and effective use of

the built environment can lead to a reduction in the

fear and incidence of crime and an improvement in

the quality of life.


Department

CPTED


Police Department

CPTED Houston, Texas Idealistically practitioners

prefer that CPTED is implemented at the design and planning stage.

That rarely occurs in Houston, TX the fourth largest city in the country.

There are no local laws that mandate the implementation of CPTED.


Department

Design Phase/ Blueprints


Police Department

CPTED & HPD The Houston Police Department

began utilizing CPTED as a crime prevention tool in the early 80s.

CPTED Assessments are provided by request to the residents of the city of Houston free of charge.


CPTED Assessment

What is an Assessment?

A free service provided to citizens, neighborhoods, businesses, multi-family properties, residents, etc. by trained personnel from the Houston Police Department. The purpose of this assessment is to reduce the formability of crime, by making a good faith effort to provide a safe environment. (Also referred to as inspection and or survey)


How does a citizen receive this service?

Contact local storefront in your area.


What does the survey entail? Personnel meet the requestor and a day and night inspection of the property is rendered. The inspection focuses on crime prevention related deficiencies on and around the property. Recommendations to help deter potential and or future criminal activity are discussed on the day of the inspection and an official summary of the inspection is forwarded to the citizen within a specified time period.


The suggestions and recommendations are made for the purpose of reducing the likelihood of criminal activity.

While no guarantee can be stated or implied, the concepts of CPTED have proven themselves internationally. The Houston Police Department offers this assessment as a public service, with the understanding that there is no way to predict or prevent all crime risks.

What is the intent

of the survey?


Where can CPTED Assessments be performed?

Condominiums and Public Housing

Multi-family Properties (Blue Star)

Central Business District/ Regional Centers/ Town Centers

Offices/ Retails/ Hotels

Educational Institutions and Schools

Industrial Areas


Parking Lots

Parks/ Open Spaces/ Playgrounds

Back Lanes

Public Washrooms

Sidewalks/ Walkways

Underpasses/ Pedestrian Overhead Bridges

Bus Shelters/ Taxi Stands/ MRT/ LRT Stations


CPTED Presentations HPD personnel are not only available to perform

CPTED assessments but they also are available to provide PowerPoint presentations.

Civic Club

PIP Meetings

Schools

Corporations


CPTED Trained The Houston Police Department provides annual

CPTED training to police officers twice a year and/or on an as-needed basis, therefore officers are available to provide assessments and presentations in all patrol areas throughout the city.

Contact your area storefront or go onto the HPD website for request.


5 Principles of CPTED 1. Natural Surveillance

2. Natural Access Control

3. Territorial Reinforcement

4. Maintenance

5. Activity Support


Crime Prevention PSA


Department

Key CPTED Concepts Natural Surveillance

Natural Access Control

Territorial Reinforcement

SATS


Natural Surveillance Natural surveillance refers to areas where

people and their activities can be readily

observed. Such areas can be created by:

Designing landscapes that allow clear,

unobstructed views of surrounding areas.


Department

Natural Surveillance Improving visibility with lighting

or transparent building materials.

Avoid the creation of building

entrapment areas.


Natural Surveillance Things that are examined during the assessment. Surveillance ask the question will I be seen?


Residential


Commercial Storefronts Keep customers and employees in view of each

other Check-out counters should be located in front of

the store and clearly visible from the outside Make private areas harder for non-employees to

access Prevent easy access to the roof/fire escape If rear parking is offered, provide rear access to the

store


Department

Natural Access Control

Natural access control means controlling

access to a site. It can be achieved by:

Ensuring that entrances are visible, well lit

and overlooked by windows.

Clearly define entranceways and control

other points of access to a site.


Department

Access ask the question, how can I get in and out?


Clearly define entranceways and control other points of

access to a site.


Territorial Reinforcement Refers to peoples sense of ownership.

In CPTED; it refers to the development of areas

or places where the users feel a strong sense

of ownership. It is an umbrella concept,

embodying all natural surveillance and access

control principles.


The question is asked, does anyone care about what

happens? Property of the Houston Police Department

Schools


School Drop-Off and Pick-Up


CPTED Strategies

Target Hardening

Landscaping

Fencing

Lighting

Public Art

Lighting

Landscaping

Fencing

Target

Hardening

Public Art


Lighting

90 % of crime occurs after dark

Proper lighting enables law abiding

citizens to observe / report crime and

to identify suspects.

It makes people feel safe.


Lighting Maintenance

Lighting requires maintenance to preserve visibility. Bushes and trees that block off lighting should be trimmed. Lighting fixtures should be located at suitable heights for easy maintenance and replacement. Light fixtures should be maintained in a clean condition and promptly replaced if

burnt or broken.


Protection of Lighting


Lighting needs are determined after

the night survey


Landscaping

Landscaping can become overgrown

Overgrown or improperly placed landscaping can create ambush points

Improperly placed landscaping may disrupt access control

Poor landscaping can reduce visibility


Landscaping Trees should be trimmed between 8 10 feet from the

ground

Shrubs should be no more that 3 feet in height or below window seal

Barrier plants (thorns and needles) can be used to deter criminal trespass


LANDSCAPING

A maintenance plan

is essential in

landscaping!


Fencing


Target Hardening


Public Art

Determine whether Public

Art is advantageous to the

neighborhood


Additional Crime Prevention

Multi-family Properties & CPTED


Blue Star Program

15 Minimum

BLUE STAR

CPTED Requirements


Blue Star Program

The Blue Star Program is a partnership between the Houston Police Department, the owners and managers of rental property, and property residents to keep drugs and other illegal activity out of the community.


Blue Star Designation There are three phases that must be completed before a Blue Star designation is awarded: Phase One: The property manager and staff attend an eight hour seminar presented by HPD. Phase Two: The property must meet the minimum CPTED requirements required by Blue Star. Phase Three: The Houston Police Department conducts a resident safety event onsite.


Maintenance

Allows for the continued use of a space for its intended purpose. Serves as an additional expression of ownership. Prevents reduction of visibility from landscaping overgrowth and obstructed or inoperative lighting.


Maintenance usually deters offenders

Neglected and poorly maintained properties are the breeding grounds for criminal activity

Broken Window Theory

Suggest that one broken window or nuisance if allowed to exist will lead to others and ultimately to the decline of entire neighborhoods.


Remove graffiti immediately upon discovering.


Repair fencing.


Activity Support

Placing activities where individuals

become part of the natural surveillance.

Move playgrounds where parents can observe them. Property of the Houston Police Department

Communication is the

Key


CONCLUSION

CPTED is not the total answer to community problems, but it

does provide community with the means to eliminate or reduce

environmental obstacles to social, cultural or managerial control.

Timothy D. Crowe

Criminologist & CPTED Practitioner


Through the use of CPTED principles, the physical environment can be modified or designed to eliminate or reduce the opportunities for crime to be committed.


If all else fails


Questions

Contact Information

Princina Brown-Thomas Planner Leader Citywide CPTED Coordinator 713.308.3247 Email: [email protected] Website: www.houstonpolice.org

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