Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and built-environment manifestations in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana

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dc.contributor.authorOwusu, George
dc.contributor.authorWrigley Asante, Charlotte
dc.contributor.authorOteng Ababio, Martin
dc.contributor.authorOwusu, Adobea Yaa
dc.date.accessioned2017-10-10T17:14:41Z
dc.date.available2017-10-10T17:14:41Z
dc.date.issued2015-10
dc.descriptionAbstract onlyen
dc.description.abstractHouseholds in Ghanaian cities have responded to crime by fortifying their houses, a practice referred to as crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). Though little researched in Ghana and Africa in general, this article, based on in-depth interviews with police officers, city planners and community members as well as a household survey, reveal that CPTED through target hardening is a widespread practice across different socio-economic residential neighborhoods of Accra and Kumasi. It was found that rising crime rates and the fear of crime have led to adoption of target hardening measures such as high walls, metal burglar-proofed windows and doors, security doors/special door locks and so on, which tend to create ‘security islands’ with limited impact on community crime incidence. While CPTED has been widely applied in Western cities to restructure the physical layout of communities to reduce crime through community efforts, there are marked differences in the Ghanaian context. In particular, households’ responses to crime through target hardening have the tendency in the long-term to weaken social cohesions, with limited impact on community crime levels. Interestingly, the household survey results show relatively low level of community solidarity in middle and upper-class neighborhoods as measures for fighting crime.en
dc.identifier.citationOwusu, G., Wrigley-Asante, C., Oteng-Ababio, M., & Owusu, A. Y. (2015). Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and built-environmental manifestations in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 17(4), 249-269.en
dc.identifier.issn1743-4629
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10625/56676
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherPalgrave Macmillanen
dc.relation.journalCrime Prevention and Community Safety
dc.subjectURBAN CRIMEen
dc.subjectCPTEDen
dc.subjectSECURITY PRIVATIZATIONen
dc.subjectGHANA--ACCRAen
dc.subjectGHANA--KUMASIen
dc.titleCrime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and built-environment manifestations in Accra and Kumasi, Ghanaen
dc.typeJournal Article (peer-reviewed)en
idrc.copyright.holderPalgrave Macmillan
idrc.dspace.accessIDRC Onlyen
idrc.noaccessDue to copyright restrictions the full text of this research output is not available in the IDRC Digital Library or by request from the IDRC Library. / Compte tenu des restrictions relatives au droit d'auteur, le texte intégral de cet extrant de recherche n'est pas accessible dans la Bibliothèque numérique du CRDI, et il n'est pas possible d'en faire la demande à la Bibliothéque du CRDI.en
idrc.project.number107349
idrc.project.titleExploring the Crime and Poverty Nexus in Urban Ghanaen
idrc.rims.adhocgroupIDRC SUPPORTEDen

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IDRC Research Results / Résultats de recherches du CRDI
2010-2019 / Années 2010-2019
Safe and Inclusive Cities / Villes sûres et inclusives