Engineering to reduce crime and disorder in public places

Abstract

The prevention of crime, disorder and terrorism in public places is high on the public's agenda. The riots across the UK, during the summer of 2011, illustrated the vulnerability of public places and their vulnerability to acts of disorder and a range of crimes. The design of public places can be technically complex in order to address the range of stakeholder requirements, including pedestrians, vehicles, residents, visitors, workers and business owners. Planners and designers may focus attention on the spatial and aesthetic properties of public places while paying due regard to long-term operational management and resilience issues. The construction industry research and information association (Ciria) has recently issued a new publication Addressing Crime and Disorder in Public Places through Planning and Design. This paper provides a summary and overview of the document.