The first meeting of the members of the newly founded “German European Forum for Urban Security (DEFUS)” took place on November, 29, 2010, in Mannheim. Main topic on the agenda was the discussion of safety audits. These broad regional surveys provide an important foundation for evidence-based crime prevention. Two examples were discussed: The Heidelberg Audit Concept, presented by Prof. Dr. Dieter Hermann of the University of Heidelberg, and the surveys that are conducted by the City of Stuttgart, represented by Dr. Martin Schairer, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety of the City of Stuttgart and President of DEFUS.
