By
Harry Erickson – CPTED Security Consultants
Battle bad guys with
Bougainvillea? Foil felons with Fuchsias, and chase
criminals with Camellias? Can flowers actually help
prevent crime at your property? The answer is “yes.”
Flowers and landscape plants can not only beautify your
property, but can be an effective crime fighting tool as
well.
Historically, we have
relied on methods of security that are of the “target
hardening” variety such as locks, gates and iron bars to
prevent crime. These visible security devices are
valuable, but sometimes limited in their effectiveness.
Today, many security professionals are turning to the
softer side of crime prevention, and complimenting locks
and deadbolts with landscape plants, flowers and other
design features to provide an additional layer of safety
and security. This is known as Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design or “CPTED.”
CPTED focuses on how the
environment contributes to the crime rate, and
incorporates design features to remove the opportunity
for crime. Crimes occur because there is opportunity for
the criminal to commit the crime. Many times the
physical design of one property offers more opportunity
than the next for the criminal to operate. By
incorporating Crime Prevention Through Environmental
Design, you can lessen the opportunity for crime, making
your property a less attractive target for criminals.
Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design is based on three concepts, Natural
Surveillance, Natural Access Control and Territorial
Reinforcement. The concept of Natural Surveillance is
that criminals feel less comfortable in areas where they
are being watched, or may be seen. Keeping shrubs and
trees trimmed to maintain the feeling of openness and
visibility makes the criminal element feel like they are
at risk of getting caught. On the other hand, legitimate
users of an area feel safer because they can see what is
going on around them and can see potential threats and
respond quicker. A property with overgrown and unkempt
landscape is an invitation for criminals.
Natural Access Control
utilizes landscape plants and other natural design
elements to channel people away from unauthorized areas.
For instance a paved walkway lined with flowers strongly
suggests the approved route to a proper entrance. A
thorny vine or rose bush can restrict access to windows
or a graffiti-plagued wall, and add beauty to the
property as well. The goal of using landscape plants is
not necessarily to prevent, but to discourage
trespassing into unauthorized areas. This is
accomplished in a more subtle way rather than
overwhelming the environment with the presence of “hard”
security measures.
Territorial Reinforcement
is based on the idea that criminals feel less
comfortable operating in areas where they perceive
someone is in control. Territorial Reinforcement
utilizes “Pride in Ownership” to send a clear message
that the people responsible for a property take pride in
it and will challenge someone coming there to commit
crimes. Utilizing decorative pavers or colored concrete
and freshly planted flowers to identify private property
gives residents a sense of territoriality and projects
the image that someone is responsible for the property.
Criminals are less likely to commit crimes where they
feel that there are people who take an interest in the
property and will protect it.
Take a look around your
property and decide if it offers added opportunity for
crime. Is it an attractive target for criminals due to
the lack of a little TLC, or does it project the image
that care has been taken to maintain it? Remember, an
overgrown ficus tree can offer opportunity for a
criminal to operate unnoticed. On the other hand, a
delicate row of daisies can be a subtle but powerful
guardian, protecting your property, while looking good
doing it.
For more information on
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design training
and property assessments, contact CPTED Security
Consultants.
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2007 CPTED Security Consultants |