At USCA 2026 in Dallas, we opened the conference with a simple but important idea:

CPTED is not static. It’s a movement — shaped by people, practice, and place.

That idea carried through the conference in powerful ways. It was reflected in the conversations between sessions, in the questions raised during presentations, and in the energy of a community deeply engaged in applying CPTED in real-world environments.

This year, we were proud to place two resources directly into the hands of attendees:

• The CPTED Movement booklet

• The U.S. CPTED Association National CPTED Design Guidelines

Seeing these materials reviewed, discussed, and carried throughout the conference — and hearing the overwhelmingly positive response — was both affirming and energizing.

Why These Documents Matter

The CPTED Movement booklet reflects where CPTED stands today. It acknowledges our roots while clearly recognizing that CPTED has grown into something larger than a checklist or a one-time assessment. It is sustained through relationships, stewardship, and shared responsibility — and it evolves as communities evolve.

The National CPTED Design Guidelines were created with that same mindset. They are not meant to be prescriptive in a rigid way, nor frozen in time. Instead, they are intended to serve as a shared foundation — a reference point grounded in core CPTED principles while allowing for thoughtful adaptation across different contexts, cultures, and scales.

A Living Document, by Design

We want to be clear about something:

The CPTED Design Guidelines are a living document — intentionally so.

CPTED works best when it is informed by practice, tested in real environments, and refined through experience. The guidelines are meant to grow alongside the profession, informed by the expertise of practitioners, designers, planners, law enforcement, public health professionals, educators, and community leaders doing this work every day.

At the conference, we invited feedback — and while only a small number of comments have come in so far, the overall reception has been extremely positive. That tells us something important: the foundation is solid. And as with any strong foundation, it is meant to support continued building.

Shared Ownership of the Work

One of the most meaningful aspects of USCA 2026 was the sense of shared ownership in the room. These documents don’t belong to one organization or one voice. They belong to the CPTED community.

By placing them in your hands — literally — we were reinforcing a core belief:

CPTED is strongest when knowledge is shared, dialogue is encouraged, and the work is shaped collectively.

Accessing the Resources

Both documents are available as free PDFs and can be downloaded here:

• The CPTED Movement booklet
• The U.S. CPTED Association National CPTED Design Guidelines

We encourage you to read them, use them, share them, and — when appropriate — help us continue refining them.

Looking Ahead

USCA 2026 reminded us that CPTED is not just about environments — it’s about people, trust, and continuity. These resources are one way we support that ongoing work, and we’re grateful to be part of a community that approaches CPTED with such care, thoughtfulness, and commitment.

This is the CPTED movement in action — and we’re glad to be moving forward together.