ABSTRACT
Seating can be a valuable amenity or a focus for antisocial behavior. Before placing any seating or structure capable of being used for seating next to a footpath, always security practitioners and law enforcement professionals should consider the context in terms of the physical and social environment. Where seating is necessary and inappropriate loitering is a problem, consider the use of single seats or stools set several meters apart to deter congregation. In some locations, the use of leaning bars might be more appropriate than seats. Creating space between pedestrians and inappropriate loiterers can help reduce the fear associated with having to walk past and thus promote legitimate use of the route. On the same footpath, seating at one point may be a focus for trouble, whereas at a different point on the same footpath, perhaps with better natural surveillance, it may be trouble-free.
