Crime Prevention

LET'S TALK ABOUT CRIME
Crime has two victims. One is the person who suffers loss or injury. The other is the community. When faced with rising crime, neighbors retreat behind locked doors, merchants abandon businesses, and streets become empty at night. Fear creates isolation, and that increases the neighborhood's vulnerability to crime.
Crime doesn't have to be a fact of life. Millions of citizens in thousands of neighborhoods across the country have proved that building a sense of community and taking common-sense precautions can cut crime and counter fear. It takes time, energy, and commitment, but the results are worth it!
LET'S TALK ABOUT CRIME PREVENTION
You know what prevention means? It means making it harder for something harmful to happen.
Crime prevention means reducing the chances for criminals to victimize you, your family, and neighbors. It means protecting property and teaching kids and adults to be alert and aware. It means doing things that build communities up, and stopping things that tear communities down.
You need to go beyond watching out. You need to help out, too. When all is said and done, your safety, health, and satisfaction depend on the well-being of others. That's why partnerships are such a key part of successful crime prevention. It takes everyone working together.
USING STREET SMARTS
Whether you're 18 or 80, the best weapons against street crime are alertness and common sense.
The Big Three:

Stay alert and tuned into your surroundings, wherever you are.

Stand tall and walk confidently.

Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in a place or situation, leave quickly.

Tips For Walkers:

Choose busy streets and avoid passing vacant lots, alley's or deserted construction sites. At night, stick to well-lighted areas.

Don't walk or jog alone. Take a friend or neighbor along if possible.

Tips For Drivers:

Always lock your car and take the keys, even if you'll only be gone a short time.

Keep your car in good running condition to avoid breakdowns.

Always carry an emergency kit in your car. It should contain a flashlight, flares, first aid products, and a 72-hour supply of food and water.

Consider purchasing a cell phone to use in an emergency.

HELPING SELF AND FAMILY
Making self and family safer from violence is, for most of us, the highest priority. Work with your own children, with other kids you care about, and with teens and adults you care about to reduce the risk that you or someone you love will fall victim to violence.

Think long and hard about having weapons, especially firearms, in your home. Studies show that a firearm in the home is more than forty times as likely to hurt or kill a family member as to stop a crime. A gun in the home increases the likelihood of homicide three times and the likelihood of suicide five times. More than a quarter of a million firearms are stolen - and possibly used in other crimes - every year.

If you do keep a firearm in your home, ensure that you are trained and that everyone else - adult and child - is fully trained in firearms sefety. Refresh that training at least once a year. Make certain that the weapon is safely stored - unloaded, trigger-locked, and in a locked gun case or pistol box, with ammunition separately locked and with different keys for all locks. Store keys out of reach of children, in locations away from weapons and ammunition. Check frequently to make sure that storage is secure. Follow all federal, state, and local laws about storage, registration, carrying, and use.

Make sure your children know what to do if they ever find a firearm or something that might be a weapon - stop, don't touch, get away, and tell a trusted adult.

Teach your children ways to handle conflicts and problems without using force. Act as a role model for them. Handle disagreements with other adults, including those close to you, in nonviolent ways. You can learn more by checking with your library, a school counselor, the pediatrician, mental health association, or neighborhood dispute resolution center.

Discourage name-calling and teasing. These can easily get out of hand, moving all too quickly from "just words" to fists, knives, and even firearms. Teach children that bullying is wrong; help them learn to say "no" to bullies and to get adult help with the situation if need be. Remember that words can hurt as much as a fist.

Teach children basic strategies for personal safety to prevent violence and reduce their risk of victimization. Such as the importance of being drug free, and sticking with friends who steer clear of violence and drugs. Rehearse what to do in urgent situations, like finding a weapon.

Use news reports and other everyday examples to help older children learn how violence affects the community and their own lives. Let them know that teens are more frequently victimized by crimes - both violent crimes and property crimes - than any other age group. Help them think about the costs of crime and the benefits of prevention.

Encourage young people to tackle the problem. Urge them to find out how they can learn simple strategies to prevent crime against themselves and their friends. How groups can settle disagreements without using fists or weapons, and what drug-free, alcohol-free positive activities are available for teens and how these can be improved to attract even more young people.

PROTECTING YOUR HOME - LOCKS, LIGHTS, AND GOOD NEIGHBORS

One of the crimes most frequently reported to the police is residential burglary. It's also the most preventable. It doesn't take much or cost much to out-smart most burglars. They're usually not professionals, but rather people taking advantage of an easy target. Burglars may do more than steal things. If they're surprised by someone coming home or if they choose a home that's occupied, someone may get hurt.
Safeguard Your Home:

Make sure all your exterior doors have good locks - at least dead-bolt locks with a minimum one-inch throw.

Use the locks you have. Always lock up when you go out, even if only for a few minutes.

Make sure outside doors and door frames are solid, 1 3/4" metal or hardwood.

Secure sliding glass doors with commercially available bards or locks, or put a wooden dowel or broom handle in the door track.

Make sure your windows have good locks, particularly those at ground level. Lock double-hung windows by sliding a small-headed bolt or nail through a hole drilled at a slight downward angle in a top corner of the inside sash and partway into the outside sash.

Make sure all porches, entrances, and outside areas are well lighted.

Trim any bushes or trees that hide doors or windows. Maintain your yard and keep ladders and tools inside when you're not using them.

Don't hide your keys under the doormat or in a flowerpot. That's the first place burglars look! It's much better to give an extra key to a trusted neighbor.

Mark your valuable property like televisions, VCRs, computers, cameras, and stereos with your driver's license number. Borrow an engraver from the police. Keep a record of your property in a safe place.

Consider installing an alarm system for summoning emergency help. Law enforcement agencies can often help you assess your needs.

Ask local police to do a security survey.

If you park your car outside of your garage, never leave the garage door opener in the car.

If You Live In An Apartment:

Do your part to see that entrances, parking areas, hallways, stairways, laundry rooms, and other common areas are well lighted. Mailboxes should be in a publicly traveled, well-lighted area.

Make sure fire stairs are locked from the stairwell side with an appropriate emergency release mechanism. Laundry rooms and storage areas should be kept locked.

Use common area locks and encourage your neighbors to do the same.

When You Go Away:

Ask a neighbor to collect your mail and newspapers, and offer to return the favor.

Put an automatic timer on at least two lights and a radio. Consider photoelectric sensors to turn outside lights on and off automatically.

Tell a trusted neighbor when you're leaving and when you'll return. Include an itinerary and phone numbers where you can be reached in an emergency.

PROTECTING AND IMPROVING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
There's more to crime prevention than locks and lighting. The fact is, concerned neighbors who watch out for and care about each other are the front-line defenses against crime.
What's your neighborhood? Maybe it's a suburban subdivision or a city block bounded by a park or expressway. It could be a small rural area or a high-rise apartment building.
Today's busy lifestyles don't always make it easy to be a good neighbor. But it really only takes a little time and attention.

Get to know your neighbors and discuss your concerns about the neighborhood and community. Share information.

Join a Neighborhood or Apartment Watch group. Members receive training in crime prevention and agree to look out for each other's safety and property. If there's no Watch organization in your neighborhood, start one with help from local law enforcement and community groups.

Help local government do its job. Alert law enforcement to suspicious activities and any crimes. How can they help if they don't know there's a problem?

MAKING YOUR WORKPLACE SAFE
No mechanical devices - alarms, safes, elaborate access systems - can be effective without the cooperation of the people they protect. Alertness, common sense precautions, and concern for co-workers are keys to preventing crime in the workplace.

If you plan to work late or report early, try to arrange your schedule to coincide with another employee's.

If you are working late, ask the security guard or a co-worker to escort you to the parking lot.

Lock your purse or wallet in a drawer or closet at all times.

Check the identification of any stranger or any delivery or repair person that wants to enter a restricted area or move equipment.

If you notice any suspicious persons or vehicles, call security or the police. Be especially alert outside normal working hours.

Keep emergency numbers for security, police, and fire assistance posted near every phone.

Never write down a safe or vault combination or a computer password.

Make sure your office has an emergency evacuation plan.

Ask employees to wear identification tags at all times.

KEEPING KIDS SAFE

One of the greatest things about kids is their natural trust in other people, particularly adults. It's hard for parents to teach children to balance this trust with caution, but kids need to know how to protect themselves and how to handle threatening situations.
Teach Children To:

Use the telephone properly in case of emergencies and practice making emergency phone calls with them.

Memorize their name, address (including city and state), and phone number (including area code), and your work number.

Walk confidently and stay alert to what's going on around them.

Walk and play with friends, not alone.

Refuse rides or gifts from someone they don't know well.

Know where to go in an emergency.

Tell a trusted adult immediately if anyone, even a teacher or close relative, touches or speaks to them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Listen to children's worries and problems. Make sure you know where children are going, who they're with, and when they should be back. Know their friends' names, phone numbers, and addresses.
If Children Are Alone At Home After School, Make Sure They Know:

The check-in procedure to follow, whether with you at work or with a neighbor.

Emergency telephone numbers - fire, police, poison control, paramedics, your workplace, a neighbor, and a relative.

Not to let strangers into the home, for any reason.

Not to tell telephone callers they are alone.

How to work the door and window locks.

Your rules about acceptable activities.

Not to go into the home if a door is ajar or a window is broken. They should go to a neighbor's house or public phone and call the police.

HELPING TEENS TACKLE CRIME
Teens are hit by property and personal crime far more frequently than their parents or grandparents.
Adults often stereotype teens, blame them for neighborhood problems, and complain that they are irresponsible. In fact, the majority of teens are sources of strength, not trouble, to their communities. School completion rates and youth employment are up; teen pregnancy rates are down. Nearly 60 percent of teens volunteer in meaningful ways such as revamping city parks, mentoring and tutoring young children, and providing companionship to housebound senior citizens. Young people have a vested interest in their community's well-being, and we can certainly use their help to improve the safety and quality of our neighborhoods.
When talking with teens, always keep the lines of communication open, no matter how difficult it may seem. Encourage teens to volunteer to help their neighborhood, school, and community. Set an example through your actions and lifestyle.
TALKING ABOUT ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
It's a tough subject with no simple answers. But one important thing parents can do is... TALK.

Tell your kids you don't approve of drugs, even on a one-time or experimental basis.

Tell them how drugs can hurt them emotionally and physically. Don't generalize. Get your facts straight and be specific about which drugs will do what.

Listen. Don't do all the talking. Let them tell you their feelings and experiences.

Keep the discussion objective. Be careful not to accuse them or their friends.

Remind them that buying or possessing marijuana, cocaine, ecstacy, methamphetamine, heroin, and many other drugs is against the law. An arrest now could hurt their chances later when applying for a job or college.

Keep calm and keep an open mind. It's a touchy subject. Don't lose your cool.

PREVENTING DRUG ABUSE THROUGH COMMUNITY ACTION
Talking with kids about why and how to refuse drugs is important, but more needs to be done. Communities need to establish or reinforce acceptable behavior standards that don't include drug use or abuse. Positive alternatives and positive pressure need to be built up.
Preventing or reducing drug abuse in a community is a tough job, no question. But it can be done. You'll need a solid group of concerned people, a task force, or committee to help. Enlist both those who are faced with the problem (area residents, parents, business people) and those who can help you with it (law enforcement, social service and health agencies, treatment facilities, school officials, land use and zoning officials). Tackle one issue at a time. Pick a clear goal, work together toward it, and then set another goal.
You might form a parents' group that could sponsor drug-free activities for kids, support each other in establishing and maintaining drug-free behavior standards for your children, and help the parents of kids who do become involved with drugs. You could focus on schools, making sure prevention is taught in the earliest grades or that a comprehensive curriculum for secondary schools includes ways to refer students who might be using drugs to counseling or treatment programs. Consider getting out the dealers in your community by using zoning and housing codes to evict them or by getting law enforcement to enforce other ordinances to make dealing an unprofitable experience in your area. You can also provide police with extra eyes and ears to look for and report suspicious activity.
PREVENTING SEXUAL ASSAULTS
Most people don't even want to think about sexual assault. They say, "It isn't going to happen to me." But it can happen at home, at school, or at a party. It's estimated that at least one third of all rape victims knew their attacker as a date, friend, or casual acquaintance. No one knows for sure how many girls and women are raped each year because many don't tell the police. Men and boys can also be sexual assault victims, but reports are very rare.
Rape is not a crime of passion. It is a violent crime that can have a traumatic effect on the victim for months and even years. There have been dramatic improvements in attitudes toward rape and help for victims. Police and courts are generally more sensitive to victims' feelings, and most communities have rape hotlines and crisis centers.
You can substantially reduce the risk of being raped by practicing good home security and street safety habits. Review the tips on this site, and get other suggestions from local law enforcement. You also should learn more about the facts and myths surrounding rape, date rape, and your community's services for sexual assault victims.
WATCHING OUT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
Although seniors are the least likely to be victims of crime, fear can cause older citizens to radically alter their lifestyles and retreat into isolation. Even a petty crime can cause major physical, emotional, and financial trauma for an older person.
It doesn't have to be this way. Older people can benefit from precautions that reduce their vulnerability to crime. They can be the backbone of a Neighborhood or Apartment Watch, provide a block home for children, help out at a victim services agency, tutor school children, or volunteer in local law enforcement agencies.
Teens can ease seniors' isolation and build communication by escorting them to appointments, running errands, and helping out in other ways. Everyone can help. A phone call, a short visit, or an offer to help will make older neighbors feel safer and maintain or rebuild their trust in the community.
IT'S A CON
Con artists prey on everyone. Older citizens who worry about costs of home repairs, insurance, and investments are especially vulnerable. The best advice? Be suspicious about any proposal that has to be kept secret or sounds too good to be true.
Be Particularly Wary Of:

"get rich quick" or other schemes for which you have to put up "good faith" money in advance.

unexplained bargain deals on normally costly repairs or home improvement jobs.

investments that promise unusually large returns.

someone claiming you owe money for an item ordered by a deceased relative.

giving out your credit card number over the phone unless you made the call or know the organization is legitimate.

work-at-home schemes, door-to-door sales, health insurance that duplicates existing coverage, miracle cures, glasses and hearing aids from unknown sources at bargain prices, and similar deals. Ask yourself, "Could I follow up on this purchase in six months if there's a problem?"
CYBERCRIME

Many of today's criminals, armed with computers, are one step ahead of law enforcement. Officers know what to do when someone steals your car or burglarizes your house, yet remain uncertain as to how to deal with cybercrime. But, things are changing. Training in technology is being offered to officers. Individuals now guard their personal information more carefully. Advances are being make in preventing cybercrime.
Internet fraud often consists of scams that con artists have been using for years. Only now, they have a new medium and new victims to exploit. The following are some tips to help you navigate safely through cyberspace.

Shop online only with companies you know. If you don't know a company, ask for a print catalog before you decide to order electronically.

Use a secure browser that will encrypt or scramble purchase information. Consider faxing your order or paying with a check if you don't have encryption software.

Never give anyone your bank account number, social security number, or other personal information that isn't absolutely needed to complete a transaction.

Make sure children know to never give out their full name, address, or phone number.

Consider installing software to block children's access to sites with distasteful or hazardous content and control access to chat rooms, news groups, and messages from other subscribers.
IDENTITY THEFT ON THE RISE
Armed with a computer, a name, a social security number, and a person's credit history, today's criminals can steal without leaving the comfort of their homes. Identity theft is taking a victim's identity to obtain credit, apply for loans, rent an apartment, or obtain a job using the victim's name. Enterprising criminals can gather remarkable amounts of information about a victim through the debris of everyday transactions. They use their information to gain access to all of the victim's financial information. Thieves get information by stealing a victim's wallet, looking over a victim's shoulder at an ATM or phone booth to capture a PIN, stealing from a victim's mailbox, digging through discarded trash, or fraudently ordering a copy of the victim's credit record.
To Prevent Becoming An Identity Theft Victim:

keep personal information private.

check financial information regularly.

obtain a copy of your credit report annually.

maintain careful records of banking and financial accounts.

shred all mail containing credit card offers or other personal information.
HELPING THE VICTIM OF A CRIME
When we think about crime, we usually think about catching the criminal. The victim can get lost in the shuffle. Each of us can help victims. Even little things mean a lot.

Don't blame the victim.

Don't tell the victim he or she is silly for being upset, angry, or afraid.

If the victim hasn't told the police, offer to go with him or her, drive him or her, or help in any way to file a report.

Let the victim know you are sorry about what happened.

Help the victim repair the damage, install a new lock, or replace important papers.

Stay with the victim if he or she is feeling upset or fearful.

Be willing just to listen to the victim talk about the crime. It's therapeutic for some victims.

Help with transportation, babysitting, cooking, or other everyday needs.

Accompany the victim to the police station, hospital, or court.

Ask what you can go to help in the future, and get back in touch.
OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP PREVENT CRIME

Work with PTAs, law enforcement, and civic associations to sponsor a community forum or action plan for preventing drug abuse and drug trafficking.

Look to the future by caring for young people now. Make sure there are good day-care facilities, after-school programs, recreational facilities, alternative education and jobs for dropouts, confidential health services, and community service opportunities for teens.

Organize or help sponsor an anti-vandalism crew to remove graffiti or clean up playgrounds and parks. Enlist high school students and reward them with publicity, class credit, or cash.

Urge education authorities to include crime prevention course work in all elementary and secondary schools.

Ask local lawmakers to require that part of all fines paid by persons convicted of burglary, fraud, auto theft, drug offenses, and other crime be put into a special crime prevention fund.

Help the criminal justice system work. Volunteer to help in your police or sheriff's department, victim services agency, or court watch program.

Talk to your local broadcaster or cable television station about airing a crime prevention program that profiles local prevention projects. Perhaps high school or community college film students could produce a short film for a class.

Work with law enforcement and Neighborhood Watch groups to analyze crime patterns in your community. The better you understand the problem, the more effectively you can act on it.

Consider mediation as a peaceful way to resolve disputes with family, neighbors, and businesses. Check your telephone book for local nonprofit mediation agencies.

Give some time to your community. You'll both benefit. Schools, senior centers, adult literacy programs, libraries, food banks, soup kitchens, police departments, service organizations, conservation groups, hospitals and nursing homes, and many others need your help.

Organize! Organizing itself brings more power to press for change. Your Neighborhood Watch, parent's group, or other community organization can have a stronger voice than any individual alone.
WHERE YOU CAN GO
You've learned some key steps you can take to prevent crime and build the sense of community often theatened by modern life. But there's much more to learn and do.
Your local police or sheriff's department can help you with expertise and information. Find out what programs are already underway in your area. In many states, a statewide crime prevention program or an association of crime prevention practitioners can help. Many local affiliates are involved in crime prevention activities.
The National Crime Prevention Council can provide information, technical assistance, materials, training, and other forms of help. Call 202-466-6272, fax 202-296-1356, or visit www.ncpc.org for more information. Or call 800-627-2911 for a catalog of NCPC publications.