Criminology Unit 4 AC3.2

AC3.2 Contribution of agencies to achieve social
control

Some criminologists believe the build environment can affect the level of
crime in 2 ways:
- Influencing potential offenders, giving them opportunities to commit
more crimes.
- Affecting peoples abilities to exercise control over their
surroundings.


Defensible Space:
- Have clear boundaries, is obvious who has the right to be there,
tends to have lower crime rates. There are 4 features to a defensible
space:
1. Territoriality
2. Surveillance
3. Safe image
4. Protected location


Territoriality:
- The environment encourages a sense of ownership among
residents. The layout tells outsiders that a particular area is of
private us for residents (e.g. cul-de-sacs)


Surveillance:
- Lobbies and street level windows can be viewed easily, therefore
residents can identify strangers and residents are able to overlook
each other’s homes.


Safe image:
- Building design can give an image of safety and resident s looking
after each other. A negative image will be stigmatised and may be
targeted by offenders.


Protected location: