Crime prevention through environmental design is a way of making public spaces safer and more inviting by applying some principles of design and planning. Some of these principles are: natural surveillance, which means making sure that people can see and be seen by others; natural access control, which means limiting the entry points and exits to a space and making them visible; territorial reinforcement, which means creating a sense of ownership and responsibility for a space; and maintenance, which means keeping the space clean and well-lit. By following these principles, crime prevention through environmental design can reduce the opportunities and motivations for criminal behavior and increase the sense of community and well-being among the users of the space.
