ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Exploring Land Use, Crime, and Perceptions of Crime in a Retail Setting: Implications for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
Paul Cozens, Ph.D. and Brent Davern
Department of Crime and Design, Curtin University Australia
First published: 12 March 2025
Cite the article: Cozens, P. & Davern, B. (2025). Exploring land use, crime, and perceptions of crime in a retail setting: Implications for crime prevention through environmental design. The CPTED Journal of The International CPTED Association. Available at: https://www.thecptedjournal.net/2025-cozens_davern.html
Author correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract
Mixed-use development has become a highly popular and widespread planning practice throughout the world and is commonly regarded as a good principle of city form for the 21st Century. However, there is no agreement as to precisely what mixture of land uses represents best practice. There is also evidence from the discipline of environmental criminology, that certain land uses and mixes of land use can be criminogenic. This paper reviews some of this evidence and presents an exploratory study of the perceived criminogenic capacity of a range of land uses in a retail setting, commonly researched in the literature. The findings reveal these perceptions largely reflect the literature that uses crime data or calls to police to highlight risky places and hot spots. Given the complexity of the relationship between land use and crime, we suggest a new model for enhancing our understanding that focuses on three key variables; land use type, use (pedestrian / vehicular traffic), and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) qualities that are present (or absent) at specific locations. We conclude, with a call to (re)consider proximal land uses (geographical juxtaposition) within CPTED frameworks and processes and for environmental criminologists to explore hotspots using this model at the micro scale. Finally, the paper seeks to reinvigorate the discussion and debate about what is the most appropriate form of mixed-use development for different contexts.
Keywords: mixed-use development, environmental criminology, urban planning, land use, crime prevention through environmental design, CPTED, crime generators, perceptions of personal safety.
Cite the article: Cozens, P. & Davern, B. (2025). Exploring land use, crime, and perceptions of crime in a retail setting: Implications for crime prevention through environmental design. The CPTED Journal of The International CPTED Association. Available at: https://www.thecptedjournal.net/2025-cozens_davern.html
Author correspondence: [email protected]
DOWNLOAD PDF
***
Abstract
Mixed-use development has become a highly popular and widespread planning practice throughout the world and is commonly regarded as a good principle of city form for the 21st Century. However, there is no agreement as to precisely what mixture of land uses represents best practice. There is also evidence from the discipline of environmental criminology, that certain land uses and mixes of land use can be criminogenic. This paper reviews some of this evidence and presents an exploratory study of the perceived criminogenic capacity of a range of land uses in a retail setting, commonly researched in the literature. The findings reveal these perceptions largely reflect the literature that uses crime data or calls to police to highlight risky places and hot spots. Given the complexity of the relationship between land use and crime, we suggest a new model for enhancing our understanding that focuses on three key variables; land use type, use (pedestrian / vehicular traffic), and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) qualities that are present (or absent) at specific locations. We conclude, with a call to (re)consider proximal land uses (geographical juxtaposition) within CPTED frameworks and processes and for environmental criminologists to explore hotspots using this model at the micro scale. Finally, the paper seeks to reinvigorate the discussion and debate about what is the most appropriate form of mixed-use development for different contexts.
Keywords: mixed-use development, environmental criminology, urban planning, land use, crime prevention through environmental design, CPTED, crime generators, perceptions of personal safety.
