Quick guide: Ten crime prevention principles every social housing manager should know

Even in long-established housing estates where design decisions were made decades ago, it’s still possible to make real improvements to safety and reduce antisocial behaviour. 

At metroSTOR, we regularly support housing teams in identifying the opportunities to design out crime, through infrastructure upgrades, resident engagement or connecting with likeminded professionals who have firsthand experience of improving these issues in their communities.

Drawing on over thirty years of policing experience, crime prevention expert Mark O’Callaghan joined metroSTOR’s recent webinar to connect with leaders in social housing. Mark shared the ten core principles of crime prevention, all of which can be applied through practical, low-cost changes:

1. Target Hardening
   Improve security at vulnerable points. Strengthening doorways, installing better locks, or securing waste and recycling areas are all effective first steps. Secure bin enclosures help prevent unauthorised access and arson, while purpose-built cycle shelters with lockable access points can significantly reduce bike theft. Both are small-scale upgrades with measurable impact.
2. Target Removal
   Remove items that attract theft or damage. For example, switching from copper piping to plastic can reduce the risk of metal theft, a simple change with measurable impact.
3. Reducing the Means
   Deny opportunities. Locking maintenance areas or storing tools off-site can help to eliminate opportunities for criminal activity, including items such as drugs or weapons being ‘stashed’ in open bins, unlocked openings or among planted areas.
4. Reducing the Payoff
   Make it less rewarding to commit crime. This might include securing high-value communal items or redesigning storage spaces to reduce break-in opportunities.
5. Access Control
   This is where infrastructure plays a vital role. Gated bin enclosures prevent misuse, fly-tipping and fire risk, persistent problems on many estates. Likewise, secure cycle storage located within access-controlled or well-overlooked areas helps deter theft, supports active travel and promotes resident confidence in shared spaces. Limiting unauthorised access is key.
6. Surveillance
   Improve visibility across the estate. Trim hedges, install lighting and ensure key areas can be naturally overlooked. Our approach to waste storage supports this by placing enclosures in open sight, avoiding hidden, internal bin rooms.
7. Environmental Change
   Simple environmental upgrades can shift perceptions and behaviour. Well-kept bin and storage areas, fresh paint or thoughtful landscaping all signal care and deter crime. metroSTOR’s infrastructure projects are often paired with estate improvements that reflect this principle.
8. Rule Setting
   Make expectations clear through signage and consistent management. We often work alongside housing teams to support resident engagement when installing new infrastructure, setting shared standards for use and upkeep.
9. Increase the Chance of Being Caught
   Encourage natural presence and movement. Situating storage or waste disposal points where residents frequently pass by creates passive surveillance and discourages misuse.
10. Deflect Offenders
    Reclaim neglected or misused spaces. Turning a forgotten corner into a secure bin store or cycle shelter is one example of how we help transform problem areas into managed, purposeful spaces. These improvements reduce the likelihood of crime, signal care and contribute to better estate functionality and resident wellbeing.

These principles are a practical starting point for anyone managing older housing stock. By aligning day-to-day operational decisions with proven crime prevention strategies, housing teams can create safer, more manageable environments, often without the need for costly major redevelopment.

To hear more from Mark and explore metroSTOR’s approach in action, watch the full webinar.