CPTED stands for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design; which of the following is a design strategy used to reduce crime?

• A. Lighting alone
• B. Natural surveillance (good visibility)
• C. Territorial reinforcement (clear boundaries and property maintenance)
• D. Both natural surveillance and territorial reinforcement

Answer: (C)

Territorial reinforcement uses the physical design of a space to signal ownership and guardianship, which helps deter crime. When boundaries are clear, property is well maintained, and occupants or managers appear to watch over the area, potential offenders perceive a higher risk of being detected or confronted and decide not to intrude. This makes the space feel controlled and cared for, sending a strong message that wrongdoing will be noticed and enforcement is likely.

Lighting can help visibility, and natural surveillance improves what people can see, but neither by itself establishes the clear ownership and maintenance signals that territorial reinforcement provides. In CPTED, those other strategies are valuable too, but as a single design principle that directly reduces crime by shaping how a space is claimed and cared for, territorial reinforcement is the most representative choice.