Search

Crime and crime reduction are issues which currently receive little attention from the design profession. However, informed design can be used effectively as a tool for reducing crime associated with environments, products and systems, through designing-in crime reduction during the initial stages of the design development process. This paper describes research carried out as part of the UK government's Crime Reduction Programme, and aimed at raising designers' awareness of crime. It explores how crime reduction can be embedded within design methodologies and procedures, provides some exemplars of practice in three design disciplines, and suggests how design stakeholders can be motivated to 'design against crime' more effectively.

This is a report of a social environmental audit of urban renewal schemes based on an investigation of environmental hazard risk perceptions of people in their homes, workplaces and other places of urban activity, in the vicinity of five major renewal sites in Sandwell, West Midlands, UK. The selection of the renewal schemes was designed to incorporate a range of the types of contemporary urban development in the UK. People were asked to give a scaled score response reflecting the perceived magnitude of risk of each of a series of hazards. Each person was asked to give two responses to each hazard, one response referring to the actual present situation post-renewal and the second response referring to an imagined present situation as if renewal had not occurred. The statistical analysis of the responses suggested that urban renewal had brought about an increase in certain perceived environmental risks and not necessarily a more desirable perceived environmental state than the alternative of dereliction.

The close links which exist between poverty, disease and development are surveyed, particularly with reference to the situation in Africa. Poverty may impede the correct use of the land which can in turn lead to malnutrition and a higher incidence of disease. A population in poor health cannot effectively improve its own economic condition or make full use of aid. Poor health may be due to a colonial heritage of unsatisfactory land use, inappropriate transfer of technology, short-sighted administration, or other causes. Not all development brings improvement in health, for instance, inadequate urban planning can induce health problems. “The wealthy and secure nations of the world will realise that they cannot possibly remain either wealthy or secure if they continue to close their eyes to the pestilence of poverty that covers the whole southern half of the globe. They will … act, if only to preserve their own immunity from infection.” (McNamara, 1968)