What principle is emphasized by environmental design in crime prevention?

The principle emphasized by environmental design in crime prevention is focused on reducing crime opportunities through physical modifications. This approach is rooted in the idea that by altering the physical environment, such as designing spaces that reduce concealment opportunities, enhancing visibility, improving lighting, and creating clear pathways, potential offenders are deterred from committing crimes.

Environmental design, especially in the context of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), aims to make spaces inherently safer by designing them in a way that minimizes the chances for criminal behavior. For instance, placing benches in well-lit areas to increase foot traffic can discourage crime, as the presence of more people can deter potential offenders from acting.

Other options may touch on important aspects of law enforcement and community engagement, but they do not align directly with the core principle of environmental design, which is fundamentally about manipulating the physical aspects of an environment to reduce opportunities for crime.