U.S. CPTED Association National CPTED Design Guidelines Now Available

The U.S. CPTED Association released the National CPTED Design Guidelines which provide a unified framework for applying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design across communities.

Built around the four core CPTED principles — Natural Surveillance, Natural Access Control, Territorial Reinforcement, and Maintenance — these Guidelines translate research and best practices into practical strategies for planners, architects, law enforcement professionals, municipal leaders, and community stakeholders.

Whether you are shaping policy, reviewing development plans, or improving an existing environment, the Guidelines serve as a foundational resource for implementing CPTED consistently and effectively nationwide.

View Guidelines

Explore CPTED Municipal Codes and Ordinances

Access a comprehensive, curated database of CPTED-related municipal codes, ordinances, and statutes from across the United States.

This members-only resource provides practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders with real-world examples of how CPTED principles are codified at the local and state level. The database is designed to support jurisdictions drafting new ordinances, updating development standards, or benchmarking against existing regulations nationwide.

Search by state, review enactment dates, and examine language used in active codes — all in one centralized location built specifically for CPTED professionals.

View Codes and Ordinances

Become a Member

About the US CPTED Association

The US CPTED Association is a national network that supports Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Practitioners that utilize CPTED concepts to design safe and sustainable communities. CPTED is a multidisciplinary approach that supports elements from urban and architectural design, placemaking, tactical urbanism, community engagement, and security & safety. By combining strategies from these programs, it allows the Practitioner the opportunity to successfully apply them in a variety of settings. The CPTED premise is “the proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in incidents and fear of crime and improvement in quality of life.”

CPTED Practitioners now more than ever have an opportunity to shape and design communities. With support from the US CPTED Association, you now have a platform to share information and network with other practitioners in the United States. We promote change that not only creates safe and sustainable communities today but for the future. Including CPTED strategies as part of the process ensures a sustainable long-term program with the flexibility to adapt to a communities needs that will influence the next generation of CPTED Practitioners.

The goal of the United States CPTED Association is to provide the foundation and support network to formally apply CPTED at the local and national levels. Through education, networking, and collaboration, this goal is achievable with your support.

Join the nationwide effort to establish CPTED design standards and programs. Our collective voices can make a difference! Join today.

The United States CPTED Association will offer webinars, workshops, and an annual conference presented by members for CPTED professionals. All US CPTED Association members will have an opportunity to submit topic proposals to present. A listing of event topics and times will be posted on the event registration page in advance. All events will include topics that relate to the application of CPTED.

US CPTED Association Mission

The mission of the US CPTED Association is to connect with CPTED Practitioners throughout the United States in order to share ideas and information and to promote Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles to reduce opportunities for crime, empower communities, and improve quality of life for all individuals.

Intention Through Design

We Value Your Feedback!

Help shape the future of the US CPTED Association by participating in our member survey. Your insights are essential in enhancing our programs and services to better serve our community and advance the practice of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Whether you’re a longtime member or new to the association, we want to hear from you. Your feedback will help us improve training, events, and resources to better meet the needs of our members and the broader CPTED community. Click below to share your thoughts!

Take the Survey