Design Considerations for Crime Prevention through Environmental Design in Minna Shopping Centres in Conference proceedings of the school of Environmental technology International Conference

Abstract

in recent time, architecture designs have emerged worldwide as one of the most promising and currently effective approaches to reducing opportunities for crime. The basic tenet of crime prevention through design in building is that proper dsign and effective use of the built environment can be used to reduce the fear and incidence of crime and thereby improve the overall quality of life. Studies have shown that in communities where these principles have been implemented, criminal activity has decreased by as much as 40 percent. Environmental crime prevention has many positive aspects which deter crime instead of addressing criminal activityafter it occurs. This paper is aimed to assess the design considerations for crime prevention through environmental design in Minna shopping centre. Five shopping centre within Minna metropolis were purposely selected for this study. The study has employed case study and descriptive survey method. Data were collected by means of structured survey observations and interview. The outcome of the study shows that designers and developers playimportant role and influence in enhancing the safety and security of the community. The study suggested that for effective crime control, the government should involve architects and other building professionals through integration of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles and concept at the inception of design.