Crime Prevention through Environmental Design in schools: Students' perceptions of safety and psychological comfort

This study assessed students' preferences and perceptions of physical safety and psychological comfort related to the use of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) in school facilities. Participants included middle and high school students (N = 900; 54% female) from four school districts in the U.S. Southwest. All participants contributed data electronically and a matched-paired research design was used to assess students' preferences for physical safety and psychological comfort. Study results indicate that CPTED design strategies involving natural surveillance, access control, and territoriality/maintenance are perceived by students as being more physically safe and psychologically comfortable than designs devoid of CPTED strategies. Moreover, these preferences were found to be generally invariant to demographic differences among participants. Overall study findings indicate that use of CPTED strategies in school design has appeal to students and may ensure that they feel both safe and comfortable in school settings.