NCJ Number
147952
Date Published
1973
Length
231 pages
Annotation
Based on a survey and site visits, this report discusses the concept of defensible space and presents the basic principles of architectural design for crime prevention in public housing and other areas.
Abstract
Information came from site visits to housing projects in 15 major cities and a questionnaire survey of housing authority officials, architects, and law enforcement officials in 150 other cities. The discussion focuses on the role of the physical environment in defining perceived zones of territorial influence, the capacity of physical design to provide surveillance opportunities for residents and their agents, the relationships between adjacent areas, and the capacity of design to influence the perception of a project's uniqueness, isolation, and stigma. Ten case examples of recently completed housing projects are presented, including both publicly and privately developed housing. Most of these projects have almost no crime and vandalism, although they are located in high-crime, inner-city areas. Photographs, illustrations, diagrams, tables, appended background materials, and 68 references