For centuries researchers and have studied the relationship between the environment and

human behaviour. Accordant with such pursuits, Crime Prevention through Environmental

Design (CPTED) is an environmental criminology theory grounded in the proposition that

through the appropriate design and application of the built and surrounding environment both

crime and the fear of crime can be reduced. The premise expresses that although different

crimes are influenced or affected in different ways by the environment in which they occur,

almost every type of “street crime”, crimes against persons or property, are influenced in some

way by the physical design, layout, or by situational factors such as the presence of a victim or

target, the lack of guardianship, and the lack of surveillance opportunities. Crime Prevention

through Environmental Design (CPTED) has its theoretical basis in the Rational Choice

paradigm based within a human/environment interaction model.

Task:

You are to review the literature and drawing on an evidence based approach, discuss the

benefits and limitations of CPTED as an effective crime prevention strategy in contemporary

society.