assignment five- planning for the future (part a)

Research proposal: Designing urban environments as an attempt to minimise crime.

Introduction.

After reading 'The Tipping Point' by Malcolm Gladwell in the beginning of the academic year, I became intrigued with the topic of 'crime prevention' found in chapter four of the book.  What particularly interested me was the opportunity to resolve such a problem, through design.  In semester 1 I researched how landscape architecture could potentially benefit run down areas within cities and how installing aesthetically pleasing atmospheres within a space could encourage positive behaviour.  I found that urbanism plays a large role in aiming to prevent crime in public places.  Urbanism can create physical and psychological spaces that can help peacemaking occur in run down areas of cities.  In the journal, 'Behaving Badly in Public Places' by H. Shaftoe, I found the author to share my interest of discovering existing links between design of urban spaces and the way people behave in them.  The author mentions how field experiments have been carried out, whereby aspects of the environment are manipulated to test the effect on levels of crime in an area.  This is a method that I find appropriate in researching why crime exists in environments today.


It has been found that certain physical situations and environments can encourage anti-social behaviour or allow crime to occur.  


In terms of designing urban environments as an attempt to minimise crime we need to think about redesigning and securing such places to limit criminal activity.  In order to do this, I have decided to produce a research proposal focusing on an existing urban environment that experiences crime daily.

Existing design problem

Hollister Co. is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch Co whose stores are designed as surf shacks with ambient atmospheric interiors, dimly lit with noise of loud music.  Knowing that an interior like this isn't ideal to limit criminal activity, I made it my priority to visit Hollister Co. Victoria Square, Belfast to discuss with a staff member if there were any evident links between the design of the interior and the way members of the public behave/react within the space. 

A member of staff was able to inform me that 71 items are stolen on average per week from their Belfast Hollister Co. store.  By looking at the images above, it is not surprising that so many items are stolen as it appears difficult to even see the merchandise due to the dim lighting.  

Methods designed as an attempt to minimise crime within the Hollister Co. store.
After brainstorming potential research methods to minimise crime within a retail store, I realised that observation would be the most appropriate way to achieve successful results.


There are five degrees of observation that make up the research investigation:

• Concise note making of the interior environment of a Hollister Co. store in terms of the positioning of lighting and merchandise.  After making notes on the interior environment, a detailed account along with an accurate annotated drawing of the interior space should be produced.  It would be important to take note of where the merchandise is displayed within the store in order to determine the probability of theft.  Are there areas in the interior space that are dark enough for no one to notice theft?  Is it true to say that the dimmed lighting within the store plays a part in how an individual might act?  Do customers think that they cannot be seen?

• Thorough observation of how customers make their way around the store.  Using the service design tool of 'System Mapping', a precise account of how a person makes his/her way around the store can be obtained.  The service tool will take into account the flow of materials, energy, information and money through the system

• Taking note of the positioning of the staff  in relation to the positioning of the public within the store.  An accurate account of the distribution of staff within the building at any one time will help reduce potential shoplifting attempts.

• Differentiating between the customers who actually purchase items in the store and those who are there to 'browse'.  Making a point of noting who does and who does not purchase items from the store.  Are there customers who repetitively 'browse' the shop and still don't make a purchase?  What are the possible intentions of these customers? 

• Interviewing customers on why they think shoplifting occurs within the store.  Regular customers to Hollister Co. may provide some relevant insight into why/how customers would shoplift from the store.  Unknown to us, they may be aware of possible techniques that criminals use to steal items.  The interviews would be semi-structured/casual so as to gain maximum material without putting the interviewees under pressure.

Strengths and Limitations

Gathering primary evidence through five different methods of observation enhances the reliability of the research proposal.  To prevent any limitations, photographic, video and audio evidence must be carried out throughout the entire building, and throughout the interview process.  This way the information can be decoded accurately.  Photographic and video evidence will also reduce any potential ambiguity when the material is eventually analysed. 

Potential Problems

Members of the public may not provide accurate results, therefore reducing the degree of accuracy in the investigation.  This is a problem that can occur within any investigation, therefore trust is essential when interviewing.

Falsely accusing a member of the public of theft is out of line.  Therefore, as accuracy is crucial within this investigation we must rely on CCTV footage as well as our own results in order to arrive at a fair and accurate decision concerning a situation.

Plan

To accurately carry out this research proposal it would be ideal for me to carry out these methods within a group.  Ideally, the group should consist of an architect, an interior designer and a criminologist.  The task could be carried out in a full day and would take approximately a week to convert the primary evidence into a suitable and accurate conclusion.

Plan B

If the desired amount of information is not received within the assigned day, the same experiment would have to be carried out a week from that date.  

Desired results
Following the research proposal, it would be ideal to have enough insight into how/why so many items are stolen each week so that measures could be taken to reduce the degree of criminal activity within Hollister Co. stores.  It is important to highlight to Hollister Co. that although their interior environment is perfect for their target audience, it does not take the appropriate precautions when it comes to theft.