Preventing Crime Through Landscape Design

A program through the National Crime Prevention Council helps explain the crime-fighting potential of landscaping

Well-designed, well-executed landscape projects do more than beautify our surroundings and enhance property values. They can also play a role in keeping properties and people safer as reported in a recent article by Pamela Dittmer McKuen for the Chicago Tribune.

According to the story's main subject, Chuck Sczuroski, a crime prevention specialist and retired police officer, landscaping elements, and how they are used, can help ward off vandalism and more serious crimes.

Sczuroski promotes a program called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, which espouses four basic principles: natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement, and image and maintenance.

The objective of natural surveillance is to keep sightlines open to insure adequate windows of observation by those inside residences and passersby on the street. For instance, Sczuroski advises that keeping shrubs at two to three feet in height limits appealing hiding areas for would-be criminals. Likewise, tree canopies should be no lower than six to seven feet above the ground.

Natural access control attempts to deny crooks easy entry to their targets. One common approach is to keep tall trees a safe distance away from residences with upper-story windows, balcony or deck doors that can invite unlawful access.

Another tactic is to plant prickly foliage, nature's barbed wire, such as barberry, holly, juniper and rose bushes beneath windows and around perimeters.

Using gravel as ground cover can serve as an aural deterrent to a surreptitious attempt to break into a property, as well as warn of approaching solicitors.

The practice of territorial reinforcement has been used throughout history but in modern times moats and Impenetrable walls are far and few between and heavy-barred fences topped with razor wire do not add curb appeal.

But according to Sczuroski, even small nice-looking perimeter elements can be helpful as they serve as a reminder that a particular property has an attentive owner. Landscape lighting is an attractive yet effective way to deter predators and thieves.

The image and maintenance tenet of the program fosters the idea that a well-taken care of residence signals to criminals that a high value is placed on the care and protection of the property and people within.

Armed with this knowledge, landscape contractors have extra marketing ammunition. And isn't it gratifying that your hard work can provide additional benefits to society