Businesses can design to fight crime
Personal and public spaces are safer by applying the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, says the solicitor general of B.C.
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is about the “built environment” – the places that can become the target for, or scene of, criminal activity – and using maintenance and design features that reduce opportunities for that to happen.
Four principles in your home, business, and community space can help reduce crime:
• natural access control – landscaping and lighting should maximize visibility, especially around points of entry like windows and patio doors;
• natural surveillance – make it easy for those inside to monitor their surroundings (for example, arrange office workstations so they provide a sightline to staff or client parking areas);
• territoriality – an uninhabited property is a vulnerable property (people should be on-site routinely and on a non-predictable basis);
• maintenance – regular maintenance encourages everyone to respect the environment, and reinforces the principle of territoriality, demonstrating your property is cared for and monitored.
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