Crime Prevention Tips That Work-Keeping You and Your Family Safe

Keywords: Crime prevention, crime prevention tips, crime prevention strategies, personal safety, burglary, robbery, criminals, criminal offenders.

Author

Leonard A. Sipes, Jr.

Retired federal senior spokesperson. Thirty-five years of award-winning public relations for national and state criminal justice agencies. Interviewed multiple times by every national news outlet. Former Senior Specialist for Crime Prevention for the Department of Justice’s clearinghouse. Former Director of Information Services, National Crime Prevention Council. Former Adjunct Associate Professor of Criminology and Public Affairs-University of Maryland, University College. Former advisor to presidential and gubernatorial campaigns. Former advisor to the “McGruff-Take a Bite Out of Crime” national media campaign. Certificate of Advanced Study-Johns Hopkins University. Aspiring drummer.

Editor’s Note: See an excellent article on burglary prevention in MoneyGeek. I am quoted.

Personal, Family And Home Crime Prevention Tips

Crime in America.Net offers simple, easy to understand crime prevention information and shows sources for research or additional information. Not all materials will have a source. There are many “tips” that simply come from conversations with fellow crime prevention practitioners, victims, and criminal offenders.

Start any inquiry about crime and crime prevention with a call to your local police agency and ask to speak to the crime prevention specialist. They are the best sources for information as it pertains to local conditions.

Much of the crime prevention material you see on the Internet is based on selling you a product or a service. I’m not trying to sell you anything and I’m not asking for anything. I simply believe that ten years as a crime prevention information specialist and spokesperson for national federally funded agencies plus four decades in the criminal justice system plus two advanced university degrees plus hundreds of research-based books and reports I’ve read plus conversations with victims, police officers, and criminal offenders leads me to conclusions that may keep you and your family safer.

---

My book: “Amazon Hot New Release”- “A Must Have Book,” Success With The Media: Everything You Need To Survive Reporters and Your Organization available at Amazon

Amazon

---

Peer Review

This paper was reviewed and approved by crime prevention specialists at the National Crime Prevention Institute in Louisville, KY (where I studied and taught ) and the Maryland Community Crime Prevention Institute (where I was a spokesperson). Critiques are ongoing and informed opinions are welcomed.

Notes on the Research

Please note that I use US Department of Justice or US government-produced or funded research and material exclusively. Some of the data have older publication dates; please note that Department of Justice research is often definitive for decades.

The tips I present deal with stranger to stranger crime. If you and a friend exchange blows because of a perceived insult, there is little I can suggest beyond getting better friends. You would be surprised as to how many crimes occur between people who know each other, especially as they apply to female victims and children. For example, about seven in ten female rape or sexual assault victims stated the offender was an intimate, another relative, a friend, or an acquaintance. See data on violent crime characteristics below for data on non-stranger violence

Two Kinds of Criminal Offenders

There are essentially two kinds of criminal offenders, ones who leave home knowing that they will commit a crime and the ones who leave home without specific criminal intent. The second is known as opportunity offenders.

Opportunity offenders “float” through their lives or jobs or school or recreational opportunities until someone mentions that Mrs. Smith has a habit of leaving her windows open during warm weather. He and an associate enter Mrs. Smith’s home through the open window and steal items they can use or sell. They are in and out in five minutes or less.

I address the opportunity offender on this site. They are generally unskilled (understatement) at criminal activity and often under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crime.  The bottom line is that most offenders (close to 90 percent in some cities) are under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the arrest.

An endless number of crimes are committed by the opportunity offender and they can be very serious in nature. They look for cars with keys in the ignition or cars that are easily stolen. They watch you pull out a wallet full of money and credit cards during a purchase. They see a front door that someone forgot to close or lock. They notice that you are under the influence and thus vulnerable.

Opportunity offenders could not pick a lock if their lives depended on it. They commit a burglary by going through unlocked doors or windows or they kick a door down or smash a window.

Robberies are often committed in groups (especially among strangers) and they prey on what they consider easy targets. They hit and run by snatching a purse. They pull a knife or intimidate. Most do not involve firearms. Most do not involve injuries.

From a crime prevention point of view, opportunity offenders are fairly easily convinced that you or your loved ones or home are not worth the trouble; that’s why so many of the tips presented on this site work most of the time. It simply does not take a lot to keep you and your family safe; its knowing what to do.

By the way, offenders committed to a lifestyle of crime (habitual offenders) are not very skilled at crime either. It does not take a lot of knowledge to push a person and display a knife or gun and announce a robbery.  They possess few skills. They are simply committed to crime as a frequent method to gain money. They too are under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the commission of a crime. They too are looking for an easy target.

Don’t Be an Easy Target—Violent Crime

Understand that what you do, the people you associate with, the places you choose to go, and the way you present yourself depends on your perceived risk. If you live or work or play in an area with crime problems, then you must make personal and family crime prevention a daily part of your life. No one is asking you to fear urban or suburban life. No one is asking you to run panhandlers down with your car.

No one is asking you to be rude. Life in big cities or metropolitan areas is filled with opportunity and satisfaction. But regardless of the setting, there are people who will take advantage of circumstances if presented with an easy opportunity. Unfortunately, crime in America is something that most of us need to understand and deal with.

Rule Number One–Be with Someone Else

The best method of preventing violent crime is to be with another person. An overwhelming number of violent crime happens when you are alone. This simply means being with someone else when you leave home whenever possible. This applies to every member of your family regardless of age. While it’s impossible to do this all or most of the time, do it as often as possible. Make it a habit. When shopping, ask store personnel or a security officer to walk you to your car.

Smartphones–When Someone Else is Not Available

If the best advice is to be with someone else, and if that’s not possible, then bring along the next best thing; bring your cell phone. Having a smartphone is not a substitute for being with someone else, but it can provide you with a tool or a method to contact with the police “if” it’s used appropriately.

Police and crime prevention practitioners have encouraged the strategic use of cell phones since their inception. We give or loan smartphones to victims of domestic violence and victims of other violent crimes. We teach neighborhood watch and citizens on patrol to call their police liaison officer via smartphones and what to report. There are some within the crime prevention community who feel that increased use of personal cell phones coincides with national reductions in crime.

Provide every member of your family with a phone. If they are old enough to be alone outside the home, then they are old enough for a smartphone. The smartphone may be one of the most important crime prevention tools you can have. Everyone in your family needs to know how to dial 911.

Remember that the principal method of crime prevention is avoidance (go to a store, library, firehouse or another safe place first, and then reach for your phone).  Do not display an expensive smartphone unless necessary; it could cause a robbery instead of stopping one.

Nevertheless, never hesitate to call 911 if you believe you are being followed or harassed.

Simply announcing that you have called the police is often enough to persuade someone to stop bothering you or following you. Again, do not hesitate to call the police.

Know where you are at all times so you can give your location; some (not all) police departments have the technology to pinpoint your location through cell towers. If you are on Maple Street but do not have the hundred block or cross street, call anyway. Let the police find you.

Some smartphones can be tracked through satellite or GPS technology (or apps) that family members share with each other which may be advantageous, especially for children, older individuals or people with health problems.

My wife once displayed her iPhone and announced that she called the police when a very aggressive male driver tried to block. He fled but was apprehended by police. We successfully prosecuted the individual.

Are You Vulnerable?

Offenders judge you based on your perceived vulnerability. How you act when in public and the signals you give are important. Appear confident and unafraid. Act like you know where you are going and what you are doing. Always look people in their eyes if concerned. Nod to them. Let them know you are aware of their presence.

Do not appear distracted.  Do not talk on your phone when driving or walking. But have your cell phone ready.

Do not appear distracted.  Do not walk while listening to your portable music device. Do not drive while blasting others with your favorite music. It can attract the wrong people.

Do not appear distracted. Do not appear to be under the influence of any substance (even if you are). Advertising the fact that you are under the influence in a public place may get you the attention you don’t want.

Be aware of your surroundings.  If someone is following you on the street, then walk on the other side of the street. Walk in the middle of the street if necessary and if it can be done safely (as I have done after working late in downtown Washington, D.C. while walking to the subway after aggressive people asked for money). Do anything that indicates that you are in control.

Do not give money to anyone when asked. Politely but firmly say no and continue walking confidently. Do not give a cigarette to anyone who asks. If someone asks you for the time, provide it but continue to walk. Be pleasant but be firm. Have your phone ready. There have been many robberies that started with “do you have the time, do you have a cigarette, and can you spare a dollar?” But note that the vast majority of panhandlers are just seeking money, not a confrontation.

In Your Car

Leave lots of room to maneuver at stoplights. Leave no less than two car lengths between you and the other car. If a person approaches, you have room to move your car away from a possible confrontation. If truly concerned or frightened, pull out into the opposing lane if you can do so safely. Get away from the situation. Needless to say, always keep the doors locked and the windows up.

If you break down on a highway in a neighborhood you are unfamiliar with, then stay with the car until help arrives. Use your phone to call the police. Keep your windows up. If someone wants to talk to you, do so through a cracked window. Understand that you can drive (with caution) on a completely flat tire for miles at slow speeds if you need to escape a situation. Parents, make sure your teenager knows where they are going and has a reliable vehicle with plenty of gas and decent tires.  Make sure their phones are fully charged.

Women

While I’m addressing stranger-to-stranger violence on this site, it’s important to restate that most female victims are attacked by someone they know. In many cases, it’s a matter of who you let into your home, or whose home you go into. Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable, do not trust the person or people you are with. Be prepared to leave your own home if necessary. Always let someone know where you are and who you are with. Have that person check on you. Have a code word for a potentially dangerous encounter.

Children and Teens

Talk to every member of the family about personal crime prevention. Have age-appropriate conversations with your children. If they are old enough to be out of your sight, they are old enough to discuss safety.

The most important aspect of protecting your child is making absolutely sure that the child can come to you to discuss any aspect of their life without you getting upset. Never give the impression to your children that they are somehow responsible for their victimization or attempted victimization. People who target children try to make them feel as if they have played a role in their own victimization. You must be accepting of everything they tell you.

If victimized (or an attempt to victimize) then your child/teen probably knows the offender. Teaching your children about stranger danger is important, teaching your child that, in most cases, people trying to harm them are known to them is even more important. Do not scare a child. Teach, inform, and discuss.

The more you talk to your child, the less he or she will be victimized or use drugs or alcohol or harm themselves. It’s that simple.

Expect some family members to resist your efforts to talk to them about crime prevention. Teenagers already know the dangers of life (or so they state). Even while resisting these conversations, they understand that you are trying to protect them, and they appreciate your intervention (even if they seem like they do not).

Don’t Be An Easy Target–Home And Car Crime Prevention

The most important thing to understand about protecting your home is that “target hardening” is one of “the” most successful forms of crime prevention.

The bottom line is that opportunity offenders (and more determined offenders) will be persuaded to look elsewhere or give up entirely when they realize that breaking into your home is not worth the effort. They only have the skills to take advantage of what you leave them.

Crime prevention specialists have dedicated their professional lives to understanding what it takes to burglar-proof a home (how the screws are angled for the faceplate on a door, the length of the screws, and the surface material are all points of discussion). But the homeowner simply wants to know “the” most effective things to do. Here they are:

Most burglaries take place through open/unlocked doors and windows. Lock your doors. Lock your windows. “In a third of the completed burglaries, the burglar forced entry into the home; in two-thirds, the burglar gained entry through an unlocked door or open window,” see Bureau of Justice Statistics.

When force is used, burglars kick in a door. Have solid wood or metal doors. Higher quality windows with multiple panes of glass are better than single-pane windows.

Use high-quality door frames, deadbolt locks, screw plates, and screws. Have certified locksmiths (contact your local police for advice) install your locks if uncertain. They are not that expensive and the job is done right.

There are many additional suggestions, and once again, you will find them all at the crime prevention unit of your local police department.

Do you need an alarm? That’s a subjective decision. If it makes your family feel more secure, then consider an alarm system. The sign that comes with it tells offenders that you are prepared. However, most do not need an alarm system. Many people are using video cameras with a storage feature.

Using the panic button for your car if someone questionable is outside (or inside) will cause them to reconsider and escape.

Per a variety of offenders, in many if not most cases, a barking dog is just as good (maybe better) than an alarm system.

When away from home, make sure that your home gives the impression that people are at home (timers on lights, leave a radio or television playing).

Place a ten-dollar bill on your stair steps when you leave the home. If you return home, and the ten-dollar bill is missing, leave immediately and call the police.

As to your car, the same principles above apply; many thefts occur when the keys are left in the ignition. A steering wheel locking device will persuade most offenders from trying to steal your vehicle. Keep all valuables out of the car (or anything that looks valuable). Cars have been broken into for a single cigarette. Always lock the doors and take the keys.

Should You Fight Back During A Stranger-To-Stranger Robbery?

Remember that we are addressing stranger-to-stranger violent crimes and every government crime prevention specialist will tell you that your life or well being is worth more than your wallet and car. That’s good advice. In essence, the research states that you will prevent a greater number of violent crimes by fighting back, but your risk of injury goes up dramatically. Remember that your assailant is generally young, emotional (many offenders claim mental health issues), and probably high on drugs or alcohol. Generally speaking, he wants to get something and leave. Crime prevention specialists suggest that you let him.

Most victims of violent crime are not injured and when injured, the injuries result in brief emergency room stays.

Fighting back during sexual assaults is an impossible call. If you have no choice, then attack. If you resist, do so fiercely. Disable your assailant and escape.

The person trying to assault you will probably be known to you. Think through possible scenarios before you go to the home of another or let someone into your home.

As stated, always let someone know where you are and who you are with. Have that person check on you. Have a code word for a potentially dangerous encounter.

Victim of Crime Data

Your chances for criminal victimization differ as to who you are and where you live. For example, there are considerable differences in criminal victimization based on age, sex, income, and type of housing, with apartments having greater rates of crime than a single-family home.

But what you do has far more of an impact on criminal victimization. You could be an older person living in a single-family home in a middle-class area (all indicators of a lower crime rate) but be divorced and hanging out in bars (which dramatically increases victimization). What you do means more than who you are as to personal safety.

Conclusion

These are, in essence, the best tips for crime prevention. Your local police department, your state police agency, and others within government (state crime prevention officer organizations) will discuss your issues with you; their advice is the best advice. Some will come to your house and do a security survey. Do not hesitate to call them regardless of the topic. If they cannot find an answer for you, they will research the topic and come back to you with suggestions.

Start with a call to your local police agency and ask to speak to the crime prevention specialist.

Additional Resources

Additional resources are available at the National Crime Prevention Council.

Contact us at leonardsipes@gmail.com.