Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED): Psychocognitive Effect of Appropriate Environmental Design on Preventing Criminal Behavior and Improving Social Security

Physical environment has an important role in altering the behavior of human beings. In each built environment, the mental decision to offend is significantly influenced by perceived risk of being caught. Appropriate environmental design can prevent criminal behavior. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is an architectural method for built environment design, which is effective in deterring criminal behavior and improving social security. CPTED strategies enhance the mental perceived risk of apprehension by appropriately designing the built environment. Guardianship, access control, territorial reinforcement, environmental health, and development of pedestrian and bicycle paths are the most important CPTED strategies.However, it is not a panacea for preventing criminal behavior, but can be a neuropsychiatric and cognitive tool in deterring them, and increasing social security.