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NATURAL SURVEILLANCE

Natural Surveillance is a term used in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design and SCP. It aims to limit the opportunity for crime by taking steps to increase the visibility of people (Clarke 1997).

Natural surveillance occurs naturally in our everyday life. People moving around the community are able to witness what is going on around them (Clarke 1997).

Offenders’ motivation decreases with limitations provided in regards to entry and exit routs. According to the routine activity theory, the presence of capable guardians who can witness crime taking place and eventually provide prevention is one of the most important factors in the natural surveillance technique (Jewkes and Letherby 2002).It could be argued that the light inside the Shopping Centre or householders trimming their bushes in front of their houses in the evening would have an impact on crime rates (Clarke 1997).

Examples:

  • Improvement of lighting outside the stores in Portland, Oregon had significant influence on burglary and theft rates.
     

  • Moreover, enhanced lighting in a public housing estate in Dudley, England resulted in crime reductions overall with a little evidence of displacement (Clarke 1997).
     

  • Welsh and Farrington (2010) found that improvement of lightening is highly effective in town centers and residential areas.

Providing street lamps around the Shopping Centre, car parks and improving it on the streets should reduce citizens’ fear of going out in the evening.

Expanding natural surveillance has to begin with improvement of lighting, CCTV, defensible space and neighborhood watch (Clarke 1997).

Presence of capable guardians would impact crime figures in a positive way. For example, However, it is more effective in decreasing rates of burglary and theft than preventing violent crime. Clarke (1997) argues that it actually can prevent disorder, crime and also reduce fear of crime. Such changes in the area of Starley Cross would improve sense of security across the whole neighborhood. Neighborhood perception estimated at 62% of citizens feeling safe during night would probably increase and result in a bigger number of people on the streets at night. The capability of guardians would eventually prevent theft, burglary and therefore, reduce crime figures.

Z-Mation (2009)

Situational Crime Prevention

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