A regional bank is selecting a new branch site that will hold a small data closet and a teller counter. The security lead wants to apply Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles from the outset. Which choice BEST reflects CPTED in the early site layout?
- APosition the teller area and entrance so staff and passers-by have clear, unobstructed sightlines to the lobby and car park. Correct
- BInstall a high perimeter fence with razor wire and motion-activated floodlights covering all approaches.
- CLocate the data closet in a windowless interior room and route all visitors past it on the way to the teller.
- DReplace the lobby furniture with bolted-down steel benches and reinforced counters as the primary control.
Why A is correct: Natural surveillance is a core CPTED principle. Designing sightlines so staff, customers, and the public can observe the space discourages offenders and supports informal monitoring without relying on extra technology.
Why B is wrong: Hardened perimeters can deter intrusion, but this option leans on target hardening rather than CPTED. CPTED prefers natural surveillance, access control, and territorial reinforcement before defensive walls and lighting overlays.
Why C is wrong: Hiding a sensitive room and forcing visitor traffic past it actually increases exposure and conflicts with CPTED. Sensitive spaces should sit in controlled zones away from public flow, not become incidental landmarks.
Why D is wrong: Bolted furniture is target hardening, useful for robbery resistance but not a CPTED design choice. CPTED first shapes layout, sightlines, and territory; physical hardening is layered on once the environment itself works.