Environmental Crime Prevention and Urban Design in Public Spaces in Colombia

Abstract

The potential for reducing crime through modifications to the built environment has been extensively argued and implemented over several decades. What has become known as Environmental Crime Prevention has, since the 1960s, developed a comprehensive theoretical body of knowledge whereby the idea of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) has emerged; albeit, mainly from a Western perspective. In this regard, this thesis presents an extensive and detailed literature review of the theory and urban design principles underpinning CPTED. The study also includes a comparative analysis of how western countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, have acknowledged CPTED, either as policy, or as an urban design guideline. Additionally, it explores some of the limitations in assessing and measuring CPTED in practice. Empirical evidence has shown that the presence of CPTED principles — such as Access Control, Natural Surveillance Activity Support and Territoriality — relate to a significant shift in the recurrence of crime. However, the extent to which these principles may be relevant in a nonwestern urban context is concerningly unknown. To address the aims of this research, the thesis developed a mixed research methodology based on a case study: The Third Millennium Park in Bogota, Capital District of Colombia. This site is an international award- winning urban design intervention and a product of the demolition of a complete neighbourhood that was considered by the end of the 1990s to be the most dangerous place in Latin America according to the World Health Organization. With these considerations, this study critically assesses, using a Graphic Mapping Overlay method, the CPTED principles of Access Control, Natural Surveillance and Activity Support to understand the relationship between urban design and crime. This research concludes that the significant reduction in violent crime (Intentional homicide) reported in the empirical evidence may not be necessarily the direct result from the urban design intervention and the presence of some CPTED principles. Other urban development variables such land-use changes or shift on population density, must be assessed before considering a final conclusive statement. Furthermore, the positive presence of CPTED does not guarantee either a thriving public space. Notwithstanding, the theoretical framework of CPTED has proved to be relevant for understanding the physical attributes of the built environment and the design of public space, in terms of crime prevention. The implications for territorial control, crime displacement and the access to comprehensive crime data are still an active part of this discussion since crime is a social phenomenon present within the boundaries of time, victims, laws and place.