Social Control and Design
General Deterrence
The capacity of punishment to make other
people conform
In other words, punish a person to “send a
message”
But what is the message?
“In case you forgot, here is what the rule around
here is…”
“We pay attention around here…”
“Good people do this …”
But catching people and punishing them is
an expensive (and uncertain) way to send
a message.
The Best Social Control
is built-in
Not Just Signs...
The built environment is full of social control
or
Social Control is built into the environment
The “City of Green Benches”
...was also getting known as ...
The City of Senior Citizens
Nothing a little
architecture
couldn’t fix…
Styles of Social Control
Style
•Penal
•Compensation
•Conciliation
•Therapeutic
•Reform
•Prevention
Focus
act
consequences or damage
relationship
person
causes
opportunity
An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure...
Ben Franklin (of fire prevention)
Perey Turnstiles
The leader in Turnstile
design and
manufacturing.
Model 138 portable, secure, ticket scanning,
battery powered, radio communicating
in Major League Baseball
Perey was founded in 1913, providing security, crowd
management, admissions and access control, loss
control devices all over the world.
One-way three and four arm waist
high turnstiles. These simple turnstiles
keep people going in one direction
and do not allow passage in the
opposite direction.
Sources
• Jane Jacobs
• Oscar Newman
• “Broken Window Theory”
Jane Jacobs
Described city life in her 1961 classic The Life and Death of
Great American Cities and suggested reasons why certain
areas are safe. She argued that much modern city
planning and development destroyed the traditional,
mixed-use communities that produce a vibrant street life
and social stability.
Among other observations she suggested that a city space is
safe if it is well populated, or has many "eyes". Mixed-use
areas where residences are located next to twenty-four
hour businesses create such spaces.
Jacobs argued that high rise public housing complexes
destroyed such communities
Jane Jacobs’ Three Principles
• Territoriality - the ability of users of space to
take control of and manage that space
• Surveillance - potential offenders prefer
anonymity and avoid surveillance
• Crowding out crime - activity increases
surveillance and reduces criminal opportunities.
Oscar Newman
Architect
Reflections on Pruitt-Igoe disaster led to Defensible
Space in early 1970s
DEFINITION "...a surrogate term for the range of
mechanisms - real and symbolic barriers,
strongly defined areas of influence, and
improved opportunities for surveillance - that
combine to bring an environment under the
control of its residents."
Broken Window Theory
• James Q. Wilson & George Kelling 1982
• Physical signs of disorder prompt further crimes
• Although rooted in material environment,
interpretation has generally been in terms of
crackdown on “gateway crimes,” minor offenses,
vandalism (Giuliani-ism)
The Pruitt-Igoe Lesson
The Pruitt-Igoe Housing Project
•
•
•
•
St. Louis, Missouri
Completed in 1956.
A “bricks and mortar” solution to urban decay
Things went from bad to worse during 60s
Architect’s Vision for the Common
Areas
The Reality
Exterior
The Solution
The Pruitt-Igoe Lesson
Crime prevention "hinges on the ability to come together in
joint action.” Physical environments can "discourage the
natural pursuit of a collective action"
Four elements of physical design that contribute to the
creation of defensible space:
I.
"The territorial definition of space to reflect the areas of
influence of inhabitants.
II. Position windows, etc. to allow residents to naturally
survey their living environment.
III. Use building forms that avoid leading others to
perceive the vulnerability.
IV. Enhance safety by locating adjacent to activities that do
not provide continued threat
Defensible Space Summary
• Design does not cause crime, but bad design
can facilitate victimization (esp. of the poor)
• A central characteristic of defensible space is a
hierarchy of levels that goes from the apartment
to the street, from private to semi-private to
semi-public to public.
Natural Surveillance
Plan for Surveillance
Sliding Door : Lots of
freedom of movement, no
directional control, hard to
watch
http://web.njit.edu/~ar26/research/ticketinglobbysecurity/security/Web%20Pages/Crowd%20Control%20Entry%20Analysis.html
Plan for Surveillance
Swinging Door : More
directional control possible,
improved surveillance
http://web.njit.edu/~ar26/research/ticketinglobbysecurity/security/Web%20Pages/Crowd%20Control%20Entry%20Analysis.html
Plan for Surveillance
Revolving Door : Maximum
control and surveillance but
disabled entrance reduces this
somewhat
http://web.njit.edu/~ar26/research/ticketinglobbysecurity/security/Web%20Pages/Crowd%20Control%20Entry%20Analysis.html
Target Hardening
Target Hardening
http://www.facommons.com/misc/adam/?section=photos
Clarify Ambiguous Spaces
“Ambiguous space” does not say clearly who it
belongs to, who may use it, what it may be used
for, or who is responsible for it.
Express territoriality
Spatial Hierarchy
Spatial Hierarchy
Spatial Hierarchy
No Spatial Hierarchy
Shared entry paths lead to problems
of responsibility and territoriality
Clearly Distinguished Shared and
Private Paths
Shared Path with Ambiguity
Minimized
Building Social Capital
When
neighbors’
paths
frequently
cross, they get
used to seeing
one another,
stop for chats,
etc.
Building Social Capital
A hierarchy of
spaces allows
neighbors to
interact in
different ways.
Multiple
connections make
for stronger
community.
Building Social Capital
Expressing Community Norms
Expressing Community Norms
Help People Stay Out of Each Other’s Way
Feedback and Information
Tell me where to go....
Make Sharing Space Easier
Make Sharing Space Easier
Show People Where to Go
Higher density of pedestrians permits development of “channels” that
make it clear which doors are in and which are out. Fewer people and
more doors make everyone make the choice anew.
And show others where not to
Reduce Costs of “Cooperation”
Avoid Asking for Trouble
• “People will be people” – don’t design as if this is
not the case
• Avoid creating opportunity for “innocent”
behavior that will be seen as vandalism
• Make real playthings interesting and challenging
Use Design to Facilitate
Pro-pro-social Behavior
IDEO’s Social Mobiles
http://www.ideo.com/case_studies/Social_Mobiles/menu.html
The Electric Shock Mobile
http://www.ideo.com/case_studies/Social_Mobiles/SoMo1-3.html
The Electric Shock Mobile
The Electric Shock Mobile
The Catapult Mobile
http://www.ideo.com/case_studies/Social_Mobiles/SoMo1-5.html
The Catapult Mobile
The Catapult Mobile
“Geek Paths” Through Gardens
Kids Play Near Doorways…
CPTED
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
Good Design
• delineates paths of movement
• defining areas of activity for particular users
through their juxtaposition with internal living
areas
• provide for natural opportunities for visual
surveillance
• create a clear understanding of the function of
space, and who its users are and ought to be.
Risks
Getting it wrong
Over building
Surveillance and Threats to Privacy
Geographic Substitution and Displacement
Too Much Design as Social Control
What can the state do?
Set an example
Police design
Regulation
Change liability rules
THE END