Feeling safe and comfortable in the urban environment

Abstract

Safety is recognised as an important goal of urban regeneration projects and implementing the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) has been proposed as one way of enhancing community safety. Yet there are few critiques of how effective CPTED is in achieving this. This paper reports on a pilot study that explores the link between CPTED principles and people’s feelings of safety and comfort in an urban precinct of Adelaide, South Australia. The research combines a micro-scale analysis of the built environment and a series of interviews with people who live and/or work in the area. The research highlights the importance of some of the CPTED principles including activity, maintenance, sight lines but also reveals the importance of familiarity and personal safety strategies.