Planning strategy to fight crime

It’s been four years in the making, but the state government is about to roll out one of its biggest crime prevention strategies to date, and one which could change the direction of urban planning in Western Australia.

Called the “Designing Out Crime Strategy”, the initiative by the Office of Crime Prevention aims to reduce the incidence of crime and the fear of crime through the design and management of the built and landscaped environment.

The strategy, to be launched within weeks, provides a set of design guidelines which foster clear sight lines and natural surveillance, safe movement and good access, clearly defined public and private boundaries and mixed-use activities in residential estates.

At its most simple, the guidelines aim to provide opportunities for residents to engage in self-policing, which the government expects will minimalise and even prevent the occurrence of criminal activities such as car theft, breaking and entering, graffiti and some assaults.

It is understood the guidelines could eventually be incorporated into state and local planning schemes, under which residential developers would have to demonstrate how they would achieve the strategy objectives in order to gain planning approval.

Office of Crime Prevention principal policy and planning officer Michael Coe told WA Business News the notion of designing and building urban environments with the express aim of deterring crime opened up endless possibilities.

In Ontario, Canada, the application of crime prevention through environmental design techniques in some area reportedly increased housing sales as much as 33 per cent and reduced security problems by 50 per cent in 2005.

“Making offending more risky and less attractive, and thereby preventing crime from occurring in the first instance, has been received as a positive and progressive solution.”

In WA, local councils including the city of Wanneroo, City of Perth, City of Fremantle and the City of Gosnells already have some form of crime prevention through environmental design guidance in place.

The government is believed to be seeking a uniform approach to the strategy from local governments, and is planning to work closely with councils, the housing and urban planning sectors during implementation to achieve this.

Curtin University department of urban and regional planning research and teaching fellow Dr Paul Cozens said there seemed to be nothing compelling local governments to adopt the strategy, but this could change in the future.

A specialist in crime prevention through environmental design, Mr Cozens said getting more eyes on the street was a great notion, but any ‘cookie cutting’ approach to crime through environmental design may not produce the outcome intended.

“In the UK, police prefer cul-de-sacs that don’t leak, or that are not linked to parks or other land uses,” he said.

“Permeable neighbourhoods can work. They may not have the density, but all crimes are different and each neighbourhood must be approached case by case.”

Mr Cozens said lighting was often perceived to be a good tool in crime prevention, but in some instances it could present a nightmare for residents.

However, Mr Coe said it had applied sound Designing Out Crime principles in the development of a unique WA strategy, which could be adapted to suit local conditions and community needs.

“We have also been mindful of the importance of reconciling practical safety features, with aesthetics and human cultural values,” he said.