2008-11-05 P & R Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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9 The property in question was a vacant field featuring a gentle swale. The swale sat in a corner of the property that was not readily visible from the back of the plaza due to a change in elevation between the two properties. Sightlines into the corner of the property were further compromised by low lying branches and tall field grasses that had been allowed to grow around a felled branch undoubtedly placed in front of the swale for the purpose of providing additional cover. So effective was this cover that seven people, five of whom were sitting on milk crates -- the other two passed out, remained invisible until the original CPT ED auditor and myself traveled half way across the field. Once there we discovered a group of fifty year old men with liquor bottles in hand. Discarded in the bushes behind the area were hundreds upon hundreds of empty bottles. Our presence ultimately caused most of the men to leave the area. We watched the men as they headed toward the plaza, walking through the east side of the plaza on their way home. Following their path, it became obvious that this was used as a desire line by the drunks as evidenced by now apparent signs of dried urination and the occasional discarded bottle or cap. As obvious as all of this had now become, it certainly was not apparent prior to the discovery of the rogue congregating and socialization point as other possible scenarios were contemplated. The key to unlocking the problem was locating the rogue congregating and socialization point that I had expected from a behavioural based perspective. Concluding thoughts During the past year, I have shared many of my ideas with advanced CPTED practitioners and, to date, have been very encouraged by the largely favourable and eager response. CPTED practitioners are not a foolish lot. They are bright, articulate people who routinely question everything as per their teachings. It should therefore come as no surprise that the instinct for change would come from CPTED people themselves. We have already seen evidence of this from Greg Saville (founding Chair of the International CPTED Association) and Gerry Cleveland who developed "Second Generation CPTED", a response, in part, to "an emerging belief that some of the basic assumptions of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design have been only partly correct."8 Sherry Carter (past Chair of the International CPTED Association) and her husband Stan have also followed suit with the development of what they call "Community CPTED". While I believe that the instinct for change is correct, I also recognize that a consensus will never be achieved within the existing CPTED framework. There are simply too many practitioners out there and too much politics. This provides yet another compelling reason for a distinct and evolutionary concept. I believe that Behavioural Based Design, while presently little more than the germ of an idea, is capable of attracting attention and rallying significant support from conventional and unconventional sources of support such as psychologists and sociologists who are notable by their absences at CPTED conferences. I believe that if CPTED practitioners seriously challenge their concept in comparison with the potential of a behavioural based approach, they will begin to see their concept in the way that a