Interview with Art Hushen, founder of the National Institute of Crime Prevention.
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This Episode:
We take a look at the law enforcement campaign called #9PMRoutine. This campaign attempts to instill responsible ‘best practices’ into workable habits to reduce the propensity of criminal activity.
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Host:
Guest:
Art Hushen
Art Hushen is an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Florida where he teaches a graduate level Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Course under the Department of Criminology. He is a thirty-year law enforcement officer having retired from the Tampa Police Department’s Special Operations Division. He was instrumental in the creation of the first CPTED Unit in the country and Tampa’s first of many CPTED Ordinances under planning and zoning.
As the Founder of NICP, Inc. Art continues a similar process of implementing CPTED concepts and strategies at an international level through training programs and consulting with various government, private sector, and nonprofit groups. Through the implementation of the CPTED Professional Designation (CPD) Program the NICP has set a standard for professional recognition for those earning the CPD. The NICP’s training program is recognized and certified by a variety of local and federal law enforcement agencies, and corporations, and codified by cities throughout the US.
Art is the lead CPTED Instructor for the Florida Attorney General’s Office where he assisted in the creation of the Advanced CPTED program, the State standards for the FCP CPTED Designation, Critical Infrastructure and CPTED, Making Schools Safe by Design program, CPTED for Health Care Facilities, and Lighting for Safety. Art holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from the University of South Florida.
Art is the Executive Director of the US-CPTED Association, Past Chair of the Florida Design Out Crime Association (FLDOCA) where he received the FLDOCA “Lifetime Achievement Award,” member DarkSky Internationals ROLAN Committee, member of ASIS International, past member of the ASIS Physical Security Council, and past member of the IESNA Security Lighting Committee. In 2022 Art was inducted into the University of South Florida Department of Criminology Wall of Fame as a Distinguished Alumnus.
Article List:
- HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE #9PM ROUTINE?, Lansdale Police Department.
- Public Safety Tip: Increase Home Security with The 9 p.m. Routine, Florida Sheriffs Association.
Why It’s So Bright At Night Recap:
The seemingly harmless advice to leave all your exterior lights on overnight might not be the crime deterrent you think it is. Host, Bill McGeeney, reconnects with Art Hushin, a 30-year law enforcement veteran and founder of the National Institute of Crime Prevention, to dissect the popular #9PMRoutine campaign sweeping across police departments in the US and Canada.
What started in Florida in 2017 as a well-meaning initiative has attempted to craft people’s habits into a nightly ritual: remove valuables from your car, lock all entry points, and keep exterior lights blazing until dawn. But does that last recommendation actually make us safer?
Art brings fascinating insights from his decades of experience, revealing how modern criminals have adapted to constant lighting by simply covering up – hoodies pulled low, faces obscured from cameras. “We still have break-ins at nighttime with lights on,” Art notes, challenging conventional wisdom about outdoor lighting as a security measure.
Our discussion explores more effective alternatives that balance security needs with environmental concerns. Motion-activated lighting emerges as a superior option, creating an immediate stimulus that often causes intruders to look up reflexively – “that puts that extra doubt” in their minds about being detected. We also discuss the importance of thoughtful technology integration, with modern security cameras that function well in low light and can send targeted alerts. Perhaps most revealing is Art’s perspective on simple solutions like actually using garages for cars instead of storage boxes, eliminating tempting targets altogether. Whether you’re concerned about property crime, light pollution, or simply want to make smarter security choices, this conversation offers practical wisdom that goes beyond simplified routines and outdated assumptions about keeping the lights on.
