Work

Visibility and natural surveillance in victimized pharmacies: a CPTED assessment with augmented reality

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Pharmacies are frequent targets of robbery and burglary, yet transparent methods for documenting natural-surveillance conditions remain limited. This study developed a structured observational methodology informed by environmental criminology and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and supplemented by Augmented Reality (AR) visualization. Assessment of 55 victimized pharmacies documented recurring combinations of window coverage, obstructed sightlines, blind spots, and limited register visibility. Cross-tabulations further described how selected visibility-related conditions co-occurred across the sample. Representative AR visualizations translated completed observations into spatial scenarios while remaining separate from data collection and analysis. The study provides a transparent and systematically defined approach for documenting natural-surveillance conditions and illustrates how completed CPTED observations can be communicated visually. The methodology is descriptive and does not establish causal or predictive relationships between the documented conditions and pharmacy victimization.

Source: Crime Prevention and Community Safety

DOI: 10.1057/s41300-026-00254-1

Author: David Byrne

Institution: St. John's University

Language: English

Topic: Crime Patterns and Interventions

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,190