Crime prevention through environmental design in public school career and technical education facilities: Principals’ perceptions of security enhancement

Career and technical education (CTE) facilities on school campuses present unique security challenges due to their distinct layouts, structures, and equipment, which require tailored security considerations given expanding CTE student populations and increasing concerns of school violence. Drawing on principles of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) with Texas as a case application, this study developed a novel survey instrument to evaluate the influence of CTE facility design features and security activities on principals’ perceptions of facility security. One hundred and eighty-three public middle and high school principals in Texas participated in the survey. A series of four hierarchical multiple regressions found that principals perceived CTE facilities as more secure the more they aligned with CPTED-oriented qualities. Security approaches more conventionally used in school settings, such as the use of security equipment and organized security activities, were not significantly associated with higher perceptions of facility security when design features were considered. The results suggest that integrating CPTED features into CTE classroom spaces can foster security perceptions similar to those in broader school design contexts, highlighting the importance of security approaches that include more than conventional classrooms and go beyond mechanical or organizational activities. District and school administrators, emergency management coordinators, and CTE program personnel can apply these results to improve the design of CTE facilities and non-traditional classrooms, as well as the content of comprehensive facility plans, to enhance holistic approaches to school safety and security.