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Thwarting Crime Via Environmental Design

City of Albany

More than 30 law enforcement professionals from five counties are attending a three-day training session in Albany this week, participants in a unique initiative: a law-enforcement training program that analyzes how the design of buildings and public spaces can contribute to crime reduction and improve quality of life. 

The first of several technical assistance workshops is being offered at no cost to agencies that network through the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative.

Mike Green is the head of the State Division of Criminal Justice Services.  "This will be the first of four trainings held throughout the state on this subject, which is 'Crime prevention through environmental design,' the departments are receiving classroom training and actually going out into the field to see how their training can be applied."

Green explains part of the program focuses on "best practices."    "National best practices have been proven to be effective in reducing violence, specifically in reducing shootings, reducing homicides, and, in doing that we're looking to focus the applications people submit and the efforts that we fund on those best practices. We're also looking to provide technical assistance and training."

Chuck Sczuroski  is a master trainer for theNational Crime Prevention Council, which is providing the instruction.    "The CPTED strategy includes surveillance, access control, territorial re-enforcement and maintenance. So working with GIVE we went out to several spots that have been identified as 'hot spots' and we are coming up with ways to change the environment so that criminals will no longer be enabled to commit the same type of crime."

Albany Police Chief Steven Krokoff says crime prevention through environmental design is one of the key strategies the department uses as a tool to discourage wrongdoing.   "The theory behind the concept is pretty simple. By creating a physical environment that dissuades criminal activity, we reduce the likelihood of that activity while reducing fear and improving community conditions. If you think about it really, in your mind's eye when you think of a frightening outdoor situation, most people would envision a dark desolate type street with dilapidated buildings and a million places where someone who wished to do us harm could hide. But what CPTED is really about is about creating an environment for safe movement from one place to another in a lighted atmosphere with good sightline.  Opportunities for things like concealment and isolation are eliminated.

Green, the head of DCJS, notes at least two more trainings are planned.    "One on 'hotspot policing,' one in focused deterrents. It will be the same format, offered in four places throughout the state, offered to all 17 partners. These trainings are free of charge. It's part of the governor's efforts to provide assistance to the law enforcement on the ground, done at the state's expense, with no expense to the jurisdictions."

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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