Is it just a guessing game? Assessing the application of CPTED

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1 Is it just a guessing game? Assessing the application of CPTED
Dr Leanne Monchuk

2 CPTED “The proper design and effective use of the built environment, that can lead to a reduction in the fear or incidence of crime and an improvement in the quality of life” (Crowe, 2000 p. 46)

3 Delivery of CPTED 43 police forces 1 dedicated officer in each force
Designing our Crime Officers (DOCOs) Work within an active police station Serving police officers, retired officers or police staff

4 Over 300 local authorities in England and Wales
Delivery of CPTED Over 300 local authorities in England and Wales

5 Delivery of CPTED National planning policy - crime prevention should be considered in the design and build of new dwellings No obligation that the police must be involved in the planning process No systematic process to ensure that the police are involved in the design of new developments This applies across police forces and within the forces: There is no force policy. There is no direction…Whatever level of operation we have is down to individual development and partnerships…

6 CPTED & the planning process
Planning Application submitted to Local Authority Planning Permission Granted or Refused Client Development …a lot of developments will bypass us at the pre-planning stage and we won’t see them until it gets to the planning application – which is far too late down the line... [Police Force]

7 Greater Manchester Police (GMP)
Design-led consultancy Design stage/pre-planning application stage Crime Impact Statement (CIS) process – charge a fee

8 CPTED & the CIS process Planning Application submitted to Local Authority Planning Permission Granted or Refused Client Development All 10 planning authorities in Manchester stipulate that major planning applications must include a Crime Impact Statement

9 How is the skill applied?
Key questions! Before thinking about how DOCOs deliver crime prevention advice, need to ask two key questions: Is there a skill? How is the skill applied? Evaluations of SBD up to now overlook this basic question

10 How is the skill applied?
Consistency of application? Concerns about the application of CPTED advice by DOCOs “Inconsistency with which it is applied, depending upon the DOCO involved (p.17)” Is there a skill? How is the skill applied?

11 CPTED – is it just a guessing game?
In medicine, medical science is no good unless GPs apply it In crime prevention, the principles of CPTED are no good unless DOCOs apply them To date, emphasis placed on evaluating initiatives Gap - how the principles of CPTED are actually applied Prior to thinking about the delivery of CPTED, need to evidence whether there is a skill “Need to know whether DOCOs are more like astronomers or astrologers”

12 Developed an exercise The way I chose to do it was to take an already built development that DOCOs didn’t know Ask them to predict where crime would have occurred Not perfect - the exercise I did could be improved Whatever its imperfections, something of this kind is essential to situational crime reduction Giving people a medical education and failing to test what they have learned is unthinkable. So it should be with crime prevention practitioners

13 Assessing the application of CPTED
28 of the most experienced ALOs in England & Wales

14 Assessing the application of CPTED
Property crime: Burglary dwelling Burglary other Vehicle crime: Theft of motor vehicle Theft from motor vehicle

15 3 key questions Do DOCOs identify different numbers (and hence proportions) of locations in the development as problematic? Was there consensus in the locations chosen? Were the locations chosen actually victimised?

16 WARNING! Place structure is not the only determinant of crime
Would not expect perfect place identification However, if place structure is a key factor, performance should be better than chance…

17 Property crime

18 Property crime

19 Property crime

20 So what? Many factors may determine victimisation, but if there is a skill, prediction has to be better than chance There is a skill (better than chance) BUT variation across sample Non-police tended to perform better Concerns regarding inconsistent assessment of vulnerability are founded Radical overhaul of training and CPD required to help improve predictive skill Training based on knowledge and results - VR/CAD/case studies Way forward? GMP - strong case for being a model of delivery However, income generated must remain incidental (sustain and improve)

21 Thank you Dr Leanne Monchuk +44 (0)1484 472670 [email protected]