However, other things have to be taken into consideration when considering the value of such community environmental changes. The first is a much improved mindset by the residents, who are no longer surrounded by obvious street crime and empty buildings. Second, is the mindset of those who live or work outside of this area who are less fearful of settling or putting a business here. Third is the overall positive effect this has on the environment, itself, and the betterment of the community and society as a whole.

It may be difficult to determine which is the most important factor, but it is not impossible to say that the design change had an impact. When it comes down to deciding whether or not to make such changes, the results of empirical studies are not needed.

References

Brantingham, PL and Brangtingham, PJ (1981) Environmental Criminology. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.

____J. (1991), Environmental Criminology, Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.

Carter, S., Plaster, S., Carter, S, and Dannenberg, a. (2003). Zoning out crime and improving community health in Sarasota, Florida: "Crime prevention through environmental design. American Journal of Public Health 93 (9):1442-1445

2005. Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED): a review and modern bibliography. Property Management 23(5): 328-356
Eck, J., Wartell, J. (1996), Reducing Crime and Drug Dealing by Improving Place Management: A Randomized Experiment. Report to the San Diego Police Department, Crime Control Institute, Washington, DC.

Feins et. al.(1997)Solving Crime in Residential Neighborhoods: Comprehensive Changes in Design, Management and Use. Washington, D.C.: NIJ

Jeffery, C. Ray. (1971). Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. Beverly Hills:

Sage Publications

Kitchen, T., and Schneider, R. (2001). Planning for Crime Prevention: A Transatlantic Perspective. New York: Routledge.

Mayhew, P. (1979), "Defensible space: the current status of crime prevention theory," the Howard Journal of Penology and Crime Prevention, Vol. 18 pp.150-159

Newman, Oscar. (1972). Defensible Space: Crime Prevention Through Urban Design. New York: Macmillan.

Sherman, L.W., Gottfredson, D.C., Mackenzie, D.C., Eck, J., Reuter, P., and Bushway, S.D. (1997), Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising. National Institute of Justice Research…