'Some Like it Hot': exploring crime cold spots, environmental criminology and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED)

Hot spot analysis has been used for many years to identify locations where crime is a concern and where resources can be distributed in a timely and targeted manner. While the hot spot approach focuses attention on preventing what we don't want (high levels/concentrations of crime and fear of crime), we may be missing insights into why cold spot locations are successful. An in-parallel hot/cold spot approach would also focus on what we do want (safety, amenity, liveability, and resilience). We explore the relatively under-researched area of crime cold spots and advance the concept of a non-binary 'crime heat spectrum' that contains and expands hot/cold spots. We also demonstrate how this 'crime heat spectrum' can be linked to formal risk management methodology (ISO31000) to help quantify and manage 'spots' and better inform crime prevention strategies, planning and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED).