Crime Prevention Through

Environmental Design
Safe School Design Guidelines

www.fccdr.usf.edu/Projects/safeschool/safesc/intro.htm
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School Resource Officers Inc. a non-profit
corporation.

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Crime Prevention Triangle

“The anticipation,
recognition and
appraisal of a
crime risk and the
initiation of some
action to remove
or reduce it.”
Opportunity
Levels of Crime Prevention

Primary
• Target hardening
• Victim action through education
• Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (CPTED)
CPTED is about...

Perceptions
Psychology
Behavior
CPTED Players
• Normal
Users
• Abnormal
Users
• Observers
CPTED: Strategies

• Access Control
• Surveillance
• Territoriality
CPTED STRATEGIES

• Provide clear border definition

• Provide clear transition zones from public
to semi-private and private space
• Relocate gathering areas to locations of
natural surveillance and access control
• Place safe activities in unsafe locations
CPTED STRATEGIES

• Place unsafe activities in safe locations

• Redesignate the use of space
• Improve scheduling of space to allow for
affective use
• Redesign or revamp space to increase the
perception or reality of natural surveillance
• Overcome distance and isolation through
improved communications.
Lighting
Types
Incandescent
Fluorescent
High intensity discharge - metal
halide, high pressure sodium,
mercury vapor, low pressure
sodium
Considerations
• Safety
• Identification
• Color rendering
• Efficiency
• Brightness
• Glare
SURVEILLANCE

Observation Points
Witness Potential
Sightlines
Eliminate Isolation
and concealment
CPTED: Surveillance

• Reduces opportunity for a crime to occur

• Increases the risk of being seen or identified
• Measures that can be taken:
– Lighting
– Mirrors
– Cameras
– Unobstructed view
– Regular police or security patrols
ACCESS CONTROL

• Promote primary entry points with

good surveillance
• De-emphasize secondary points of
entry that are more concealed
• Convenience issue
• Schools biggest problem
CPTED: Access Control

• Increases perception of risk to potential

offender
• Reduces mobility of offender
• Measures that can be taken:
– Crime prevention training
– Guards
– Established security procedures
– Locks and alarms
– Lighting and landscaping
TERRITORIALITY

Foster a sense of
Ownership
Define space clearly
Indicate movement
onto private space
Promote challenge
behavior
Maintenance
CPTED: Territoriality

• Creates an area of influence

• Increases perception of citizen accessibility
and ownership
• Discourages potential offenders with the
presence of others
• Measures include:
– Site location
– Areas of activity
– Vehicular traffic
CPTED: Applications to Campus

Types of crimes in schools

• Parking Lots
– Battery, assault, theft, burg., vandalism,
drugs
• Lockers
– Theft, burglary
CPTED: Applications to Campus

Types of crimes in schools

• Classroom
– Theft, assault, battery
• Restroom
– Theft, extortion, assault, battery,
drugs
• School Grounds
– Assault, battery, theft, vandalism,
burglary, child abuse, sexual
assault, drug activity
CPTED: Applications to campus

Reduce the opportunity by:

• Education (classes, announcements, posters,
newspaper, clubs)
• Educate staff to observe and report
• Make recommendations to the administration
• Record incidents by times, dates, locations
Introduction

•Location •Auditoriums
•Connection •Gymnasiums &
locker rooms
•Edge conditions
•Libraries
•Landscaping
•Classrooms
•Pedestrian routes
•Labs, shops &
•Vehicular routes
computers
•Recreational areas
•Music rooms
•Signage
•Administrative areas
•Storm water
•Alarm & surveillance
•Building organization systems
•Points of entry •Fire control
•Walls, windows & •Mechanical
doors equipment
•Lobbies & corridors •Vending machines
•Restrooms •Water fountains
Stairs & stairwells
•elevators
Cafeterias
 Location

 Suburban
 Urban
 Rural
 Connection

Design can strengthen the

connections:

•Between schools & adjacent

neighborhoods
•Screen incompatible uses
•Access to school facilities
before and after school
•Trees, landscaping,
sidewalks & streets
 Edge Conditions

•Part of school grounds that

contacts the adjacent streets
and property

•Communicates accessibility
or privacy
 Landscaping

Considerations:

•Climate
•Shade
•Wind
•Noise & visual buffer
•Access control
 Exterior
Pedestrian Routes

•Well defined smooth

surfaces
•Adequate lighting
•Visual access / shade

Drop off areas

•Accommodate
volume of use
•Avoid congestion
Vehicular Routes &
Parking Areas
•Entry drive
•Parking lots
•Bus loading zones
•Parent drop off
•Accommodates rush of
people
•Visual surveillance
•Windows overlook area
•Controlled entrance
•Well lit
 Recreational Areas

•Supervision
•Visual surveillance
•Vantage points
•Multiple enclosures
•Inadvertent vandalism or
damage
 Signage

•Well lit
•Not a hiding place
•Eliminate shadows
 Storm water

•Identify terrain
•Natural flow protection
•Fencing
•landscaping
Building Organization

Contemporary campus
design

Traditional campus design

 Exterior
Covered Corridors

•Not an access to the

windows, roofs, or upper
levels
•Illuminated
•Smooth finish
•difficult to climb
•Plant trees away from
walkways and buildings
to prevent access to roof
 Points Of Entry

•At front of school

•Well lit
•Protected shelter for people
entering
•Paved non-slip surface
•Handicap accessible
•Avoid hiding places
 Enclosed
Exterior Spaces

•Uncomplicated
supervision
•Shade
•Cool air
•Can discourage
students from leaving
class unobserved
 Ancillary Buildings

•Portable classrooms
•Dumpster enclosures
•Bike lock up areas
•Satellite campus buildings
 Walls
Influences to safety
•Texture
•Form
•Can be used as a ladder

Plan for graffiti prevention

•Provide markings and
games lines in advance
Additional
Considerations

•Windows
•Doors
•Roofs
•Lighting
•Lobbies/Reception areas
•Corridors
•Restrooms
Additional
Considerations

•Stairs and Stairwells

•Cafeterias
•Auditoriums
•Gyms
•Libraries and Media
Centers
•Classrooms
•Locker rooms
•Labs and Computer rooms
•Music Rooms
 Consider
Administration Areas
 Consider
Alarm &
Surveillance Systems
 Consider
Fire Control
 Consider
HVAC &
Mechanical Equipment.
 Consider
Vending Machines
 Consider
Water Fountains
Consider
Elevators