Book excerpt: Here is a book about the practical design of communities and housing in which people can enjoy a good quality of life, free from crime and fear of crime. Recognising that crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour are issues of high public concern, and that the driving forces behind crime are numerous, this book argues that good design can help tackle many of these issues. It shows how, through integrating simple crime prevention principles in the design process, it is possible, almost without notice, to make residential environments much safer. Written from the perspective of an architect and town planner, this book offers practical design guidelines through a set of accessible case studies drawn from the UK, USA, The Netherlands and Scandinavia. Each example illustrates how success comes when design solutions reflect local characteristics and where communities are truly sustainable; where residents feel they belong, and where crime is dealt with as part of the bigger picture of urban design.