Crime prevention

Defensible space

• Oscar Newman's Defensible Space Theory argues that people needed to 'mark out their territory' and that good environmental design encourages people to express these territorial urges and are therefore more likely to defend this space against intruders. 
  • The theory states that well designed space would make it abundantly clear which areas were for public use, and which areas were not. 
• Manageable space theory is a hybrid mix of management practices and the process of creating, through physical design and site layout, a space which can be clearly managed by residents.
  • It aims to combine architecture which responds to the presence of people, creating an aesthetic space - along with management techniques that assume that most people would be about to assume responsibility and actively participate in their environment.
  • It promotes, in part, the definition of territorial zones, the creation and maintenance of surveillance opportunities, the provision of adequate community facilities, adequate lighting and the avoidance of spaces which no-one will claim legitimate ownership.
• Designing out crime, as the overarching theory, aims to use structural and environmental design to decrease criminal usage of a space, making it more inviting for legitimate people to utilise and who in time will formulate both formal and informal surveillance networks to maintain the 'new' space.

All are subsets of the same theme which argues that, by altering the physical landscape, not only will opportunity for criminal behaviour be lessened, residents will be encouraged to utilise the targeted area more.  

Reducing opportunity

It is readily assumed by criminologists that criminals act in a way which is rational - that is they can be deterred from committing a crime when the opportunity to do so has been decreased to such a level that it is no longer feasible or worth while.

• Target hardening a property using security screens, motion-sensor lighting and deadlocks on all windows and doors makes it harder to enter a property and therefore the opportunity has been decreased.
• Street lighting has the potential to reduce the opportunity to commit an offence because not only does it increase visibility, but it can also decrease the fear of crime that targeted area.
• Landscaping will increased the aesthetic nature of an area which will encourage the utilisation of legitimate users.

Designing out crime

Is the most widely accepted technique and advocates large scale target hardening - ranging from lighting around an individual dwelling, to lighting in parks, playgrounds and shopping precincts. It argues that if guardianship and surveillance can be enhanced, where the possibility of a would-be offender being seen committing an offence, then the likelihood of that offence being realised, is reduced. 

A good example in Perth is the Subi-Centro development around the Subiaco Railway Station.

• The buildings surrounding the train station are mixed use - allowing for constant surveillance of the surrounding areas while discouraging any would be offenders.
• Landscaping includes ficus trees that have a high canopy and streetlights are not conducive to hiding. 
• The area is designed in such a way that surveillance opportunities (lines of sight) are maximised.
• The properties on Brigid Road in Subiaco have been built with living areas at the front of the house with windows facing the street - maximising lines of sight and therefore surveillance opportunities.
  • Gates at the font of the properties allow for security while providing residents with a view of their street.
  • The jacaranda trees lining the street have high canopies and relatively slender trunks does not allow for hiding places.

Lasting positive results

It is crucial that any crime prevention strategy, such as Burglar Beware, include designing out crime techniques for two simple reasons:

• Designing out crime will be effective in conjunction with the implementation of crime prevention strategies which aim to suppress criminal activity in a targeted area.
• It is crucial that all crime prevention strategies implemented by the State Government of Western Australia encompass designing out crime elements.
• It is also important to ensure that all government construction projects ensure that designing out crime principles are incorporated in the initial design so that finances are not subsequently expended in costly renovations and alterations.
• It is important that passive crime prevention techniques such as situational crime prevention are implemented at the same time as a substantial initial police presence to ensure faster community support.
• It is important that private developers be encouraged to adopt situational crime prevention techniques. The current planning guidelines for the City of Gosnells state that new structures must conform to an established designing out crime regime before planning approval is granted to applicants.

Burglar beware

Burglar beware is a Western Australian State Government initiative to combat burglary in Western Australia.

In 2002 a high level State Burglary Reduction Taskforce was established to make our community safer through targeted and coordinated crime prevention activities. 

• Burglar Beware is a whole of Government approach to burglar reduction and includes programs such as Eyes on the Street and Operation Burglar Countdown.
• Burglar Beware includes a substantial advertising component that lets burglars know that police are collecting DNA from burgled homes. 
• Eyes on the Street is designed to train people who are usually on the road how to look out for suspicious behaviour and mechanisms to report such behaviour to their local police - such as Local Council and Australian Post workers. 
• Operation Burglar Countdown was initially trialled in Morley and Bentley in 2003 and since the pilot period ended in October 2004, it has been rolled-out through the South East Metropolitan District as far as Cannington. It has also been piloted in Carnarvon.
• Operation Burglar Countdown has four major objectives:
  • Making burglary a government agency priority.
  • Establish joint ownership of the program with agencies and the community
  • Implement changes by fostering agency cooperation as well as improving the physical landscape of a targeted area through Designing Out Crime.
  • Carefully monitoring outcomes, promoting successes and motivating key local individuals.
  • The initiative also includes security audits of homes burgled, informing surrounding homes of a recent burglaries in the area and providing information on victim support services.