CHAPTER 3 THE THEORETICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3.1 Introduction
3.6 Crime prevention through the environmental design model
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through the development of an effective environmental plan on a specific crime hotspot suburb or vacant building area (Kole, 2015:117).
By directing the local utility authority to build lighting, create perimeter fences, and remove vegetation every predetermined amount of time, particularly in summer, it can be concluded that an MPD will have a pivotal function in this crime-prevention operation (Kole, 2015:109). Metro police have auditory exhibits on criminal and violation data to convey to the community designers, engineers, and artists who are collaborating on the structure plan while they patrol metropolitan locations. Inside the local council regional level, metro police officers can also patrol and control the entrance to any municipal buildings, facilities, and open areas that are seen to be crime hiding places.
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In other words, the CPTED attempts to reduce crime by minimising opportunities for crime and promoting positive social interaction among users (Armitage & Ekblom, 2018:32).
The three elements of the CPTED are surveillance, territoriality, and access control (Pheiffer, 2013:125). Territoriality in the context of CPTED, refers to the desire to protect what the owners consider their territory and to have some respect for the territory of others (Armitage & Ekblom, 2018:32). Surveillance, on the other hand, entails a close watch where potential criminal activities are likely to transpire (Pheiffer, 2013:124).
Hence, the CPTED works by eliminating opportunities for crime on and around the owner's property. The CPTED further claims that places highly accessible to the public are highly perceptive of crime (Madzivhandila, 2019:39). For example, in this case, municipal immovable assets and properties such as land, commercial and residential infrastructure. In addition, CPTED includes five principles: (i) physical security, (ii) movement control, (iii) surveillance (iv) management and maintenance and (v) defensive space (Armitage & Ekblom, 2018:33).
Physical security refers to the measures used to ensure that an asset or property is resistant to attack
Surveillance design ensures that residents can observe the area around them (Madzivhandila, 2019:40).
Movement control refers to the restriction of access, the limitation of mobility, evacuation, and entrance.
Management and maintenance refer to the processes to ensure security.
Defensible space requires that ownership of must be clearly defined, for example, public, semi-public, semi-private or private (Pheiffer, 2013:125).
According to Fennelly (2004:66), CPTED is the right design of an ecological system that may be successfully used as a crime-free ecological place for our communities' residents to live in harmony and peace. Lack of food, bad housing conditions, food shortages, lack of upkeep of crucial infrastructures, and unemployment must all be addressed regularly because if they are not, the crime rate will rise (Burger, 2006:142).
The idea of CPTED, as per Lab (2014:54), engages critically with a specific environment that is abundant, such as outdated stadiums, should be modified to cope
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with criminal activities brought on by an absence of the government's future development strategies. Ordinary access control measures, such as the installation of a shopping centre with an alarm and video system, would deter criminal elements from gaining unauthorised entrance to the unoccupied or constrained space. The abandoned open spaces should be transformed into playgrounds and resorts for kids (Kole, 2015:111).
The SCP model and the earlier discussed CPTED ideas, such as camera deployment and installation, are related. This indicates that both beliefs may work together to create the most effective crime-fighting strategy that can help to keep crime under control. To create a good crime-free zone, CPTED is more detailed when addressing environmental conditions. The SCP model is primarily concerned with actually visiting sites that may be environmentally friendly and crime-free so that everyone can walk freely.
3.6.1 Barriers to CPTED theory
Pheiffer (2013:125) add that the CPTED model applies to municipal policing as municipalities are responsible for designing, managing, and ensuring the proper use of public properties. However, the crime prevention model is criticised for not addressing the causes of crime. According to Kole (2015:112), authorities are fighting a losing battle when it comes to maintaining and fixing commercial centres, school buildings, municipal areas, and sports facilities. In addition, this encourages the criminal thugs who are terrorising society to continue their occupation of this white elephant institution. Any public building or open area will be less likely to be used by criminals if it is well-maintained. Kole (2015) adds that a lack of community involvement in the construction of those schools and shopping centres also ensures that residents lack the will to defend them since they lack a strong sense of belonging to a particular institution. The well-being of society suffers from a lack of youth training initiatives and programmes.
3.6.2 Critique of CPTED theory
Fennelly's (2004:66) study suggests the CPTED theory is strategically positioned at the local government level, focusing on crime-eradication efforts, and reducing poverty and homelessness. Mabunda (2014:7) suggests that providing prompt services to distressed, poor, and handicapped individuals can reduce their suffering. Addressing
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resource availability and removing conventional grass and tangled fields can help reduce crime. Implementing security measures like streetlights, neighborhood watches, camera equipment, and perimeter fences can also help. Furthermore, Palmiotto (2011:215) emphasises the importance of considering local structures in planning development projects, such as CPTED programmes, to protect playgrounds, markets, and institutions. He also highlights the need for cleaning vacant lots, replacing outdated streetlights, installing integrated camera alarm systems, and using cutting grass and forest pruning for crime reduction.