ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the 'dark side' of design. The design profession is responsible for ensuring that users and clients are not victimised as a result of foreseeable vulnerabilities arising from design decisions. Research has shown that the development of desirable products like mobile phones has led to increased numbers of victims of robbery, while the growth of portable satellite navigation devices has been linked with increased theft from motor vehicles. The designers of such hot products need to bear in mind the role of their design solutions in putting their users at increased risk of victimisation. Design can impact on the consequences of aggressive behaviour for both the victim and the offender. Design decisions can inadvertently generate opportunities for crime by enabling potential offenders to be present in a situation where an opportunity for crime exists. Designers who develop services and buildings for use in high-crime locations have a particular responsibility for crime prevention.
