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Community Safety and Security

Elements of design and planning can add to the sense of safety and security felt by specific communities.

Relevance to Checklist

Safety and security within communities encompasses a wide range of concerns and issues ranging from the right to access basic needs (such as food and shelter) through to protection from crime and violence and the impacts of natural disasters. Elements of design and planning can add to the sense of safety and security felt by specific communities. Research has also shown convincingly  how poor urban design exacerbates crime risk for all, regardless of gender, race, age or class. Fear, vulnerability and impact of crime and violence vary considerably across different communities. There are also community structures and behaviour patterns that make some communities more vulnerable to safety and security risks. These include:

  • historical origins and development of specific communities
  • structures of community power
  • levels of and differences in income and wealth
  • perceived justice or injustice in the distribution of various conditions and privileges
  • The interaction of these factors and differences within communities conditions how safety and security is experienced.

One of the most notable strategies on improving the way in which urban planning and development can increase safety and security is CPTED – Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. CPTED, also known as ‘Designing Out Crime’, is a place-based strategy which is premised on the understanding that ‘the proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the fear of crime and the incidence of crime, and to an improvement in the quality of life’. As well as the design-led approach advocated by CPTED, community safety can also be promoted through a range of social and community development initiatives. Crime Prevention Through Social Development (CPSD) is an approach that sits well with a social determinants approach to health as it concentrates on preventative measures and the risk factors that may lead to crime.

Community safety & security key questions to ask

How does the policy, plan or development proposal –

  • Consider crime prevention and sense of security?

Snapshots of key evidence and leading practice

For an overview of the key evidence and leading practice relating to the issue of Community Safety and Security click here

Related chapters

Social Infrastructure; Physical Activity;  Public Open Space; Social Cohesion and Connectivity

Links to more resources