As individuals we must take the simple steps which help to keep our families and possessions safe – locking our doors and cars, keeping desirable possessions out of sight and reporting crimes to the police. The innovation of design and business has helped hugely in these crime-reducing efforts – better car security devices and the barring of stolen mobiles from phone networks have both reduced opportunities for criminals in recent times. There is plenty of evidence to show that modifying places, products and services has removed opportunities for theft, violence or vandalism, creating safer communities. There is also evidence to suggest that effective design against crime can also produce some excellent commercial opportunities.
This project, one in a series led by the Design and Technology Alliance*, is an exciting continuation of that work, and focuses on an issue particularly close to my heart: protecting our young people. It aims to identify design-led opportunities to protect 11–16 year olds from becoming victims of crime, given the widespread possession of increasingly sophisticated electronic devices such as phones, MP3 players and mobile game consoles. By bringing together expertise from the world of design, industry, law enforcement and the very people most affected by crime, I hope that we can bring about further innovation and encourage others to ‘think crime’ in the first stages of product development.
Thank you to everyone involved – I very much look forward to seeing some practical results that make a difference to all our communities.
Find out moreDesigning Out Crime is a project run by the Design and Technology Alliance to encourage businesses and designers to design in security to products, systems and services
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