Introduction to crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED)
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9.0 Safety audits
Safety audits seek to identify and describe the factors within the existing built environment that influence people's
perceptions of safety and risk of crime. The aim of the safety audit is to make the location feel, and be, safer. Safety
audits are usually carried out in already developed locations such as a group of residential streets, a car park, a building,
a city centre, a transport stop, or a park. Safety audits provide a structured process for assessing particular locations
against CPTED principles.
A key component of safety auditing is the involvement of people who use the space as they are best able to reflect upon
the safe and unsafe aspects of the location from their own experience. This can be extended out to getting feedback from
other stakeholders and user groups and interviewing staff of the facility being audited. Ideally some guidance will be
provided to those carrying out the audit from someone experienced in safe design who will familiarise them with the concepts
and guide them through, also adding their own 'expertise' to the audit itself.
A safety audit is carried out using a survey questionnaire format which prompts people to assess different aspects of the
environment such as lighting, signage, location of toilets, phones, adequacy of maintenance, sightlines, existence of
entrapment spots etc. Those doing the audit can make both general and specific recommendations about a range of safety
aspects in the location being audited and often maps are provided for marking specific issues of concern. Audits need to be
done in conjunction with the local council as it is the key responsible body for maintaining the public physical environment.
However, some recommendations may relate to other organisations such as communications and transport companies.
Key factors of safety auditing:
- a briefing session with auditors to familiarise them with the audit process and concepts, confirm location, routes and
time(s) for the audit to be undertaken
- the audit carried out using local knowledge. The questionnaire and the map create a safety/security picture - where it
feels safe, where it feels unsafe and why. Audit questionnaires are available from Auckland City's community planning
group but there is also a good general one which could be adapted to the location being audited in the Safe Cities
book listed in the resource section of this guide
- a debriefing workshop where auditors debate and clarify their audit findings listing the key problems encountered and
recommendations for improvements
- a meeting between the auditors and relevant council officers (or other relevant body) to report and discuss the findings.
The council may also report back on plans for action ensuring they represent the audit findings at this later stage
