Is Hammarby Sjöstad a Model Case? Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design in Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) claims to reduce crime and fear of crime through urban design and planning. If it does, it ought to be part of the sustainable planning and design of cities. This chapter gives an overview of the development of CPTED principles and then uses the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) guidelines to assess the case study of Hammarby Sjostad – a residential area in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Urban planning and urban design principles are assessed from a CPTED point of view. Crime statistics as well as data on perceived safety of residents of Hammarby Sjostad are compared with other areas in Stockholm. This chapter concludes that CPTED guidelines are met to a large degree: crime rates are relatively lower and perceived safety is higher in Hammarby Sjostad than Stockholm’s average. Finally, the role of CPTED versus other factors when planning sustainable areas is discussed, as well as the need to strengthen the routines for consideration and suitable implementation of CPTED in a Northern European welfare society context.