What does CPTED stand for and what are its four core principles?

• A. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design; natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement, maintenance/improved image.
• B. CPTED stands for Criminal Planning and Environmental Defense; principles are deterrence, detection, delay, denial.
• C. CPTED is the concept of layered security; principles are access control, surveillance, lighting, training.
• D. CPTED focuses on interior security only; no defined core principles.

Answer: (A)

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) aims to reduce crime by shaping the built environment so it’s easier to see and harder to misuse. The four principles you’re expected to know are natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement, and maintenance/improved image.

Natural surveillance comes from designing spaces so people can be seen—clear sightlines, proper lighting, and unobstructed views—so potential offenders feel exposed and are less likely to act. Natural access control uses physical design to guide people and restrict access, such as pathways, entry points, gates, and landscape features that funnel movement in predictable, observable ways. Territorial reinforcement strengthens the sense that an area is owned and monitored through clear boundaries, signage, and features that define public versus private space, helping people feel responsibility for the area. Maintenance or improved image emphasizes upkeep; well-maintained environments signal care and guardianship, which can deter crime by suggesting that problems will be noticed and addressed.

The correct choice matches the full name of CPTED and these four principles. Other options either propose a different acronym or describe security ideas that don’t align with the environmental design focus CPTED emphasizes, such as emphasizing interior-only security or listing concepts that aren’t the CPTED framework.