Crime Prevention

Use this as a guide as you check your home for safety measures. These are just some of the steps you can take to decrease the likelihood that your home is targeted.

Exterior Doors
All doors are locked at night and every time we leave the house – even if it’s just for a few minutes. Doors are solid hardwood or metal-clad. Doors feature wide-angle peepholes at heights everyone can use. If there are glass panels in or near our doors, they are reinforced in some way so that they cannot be shattered. All entryways have a working, keyed entry lock and sturdy deadbolt lock installed into the frame of the door. Spare keys are kept with a trusted neighbor, not under a doormat or planter, on a ledge, or in a mailbox.

Garage and Sliding Door Security
The door leading from the attached garage to the house is solid wood or metal-clad and protected with a quality keyed door lock and deadbolt. The overhead garage door has a lock so that we do not rely solely on the automatic door opener to provide security. All garage doors are locked when leaving the house. The sliding glass door has strong working key locks. A dowel or a pin to secure a glass door has been installed to prevent the door from being shoved aside or lifted off the track. The sliding door is locked every night and each time we leave the house.

Protecting Windows
Every window in the house has a working key lock or is securely pinned. Windows are always locked even when they opened a few inches for ventilation.

Outdoor Security
Shrubs and bushes are trimmed so there is no place for someone to hide. There are no dark areas around our house, garage, or yard at night that would hide prowlers.

Floodlights are used appropriately to ensure effective illumination. Outdoor lights are on in the evening – whether someone is at home or not, or a Photocell or motion-sensitive lighting system has been installed.

Our house number is clearly displayed so police and other emergency vehicles can find the house quickly.

Security When Away From Home
At least two light timers have been set to turn the lights on and off in a logical sequence when we are away for an extended time period. The motion detector or other alarm system (if we have one) has been activated when we leave home.

Mail and newspaper deliveries have been stopped or arrangements for a neighbor/friend to pick them up have been made when we go away from home for a period of time.

A neighbor has been asked to tend the yard and watch our home when we are away.

Outdoor Valuables and Personal Property
Gate latches, garage doors, and shed doors are locked with high-security, laminated padlocks. Gate latches, garage doors, and shed doors are locked after every use. Grills, lawn mowers, and other valuables are stored in a locked garage or shed, or if left out in the open, are hidden from view with a tarp and securely locked to a stationary point.

Every bicycle is secured with a U-bar lock or quality padlock and chain. Bikes are always locked, even if we leave them for just a minute.

Firearms are stored unloaded and locked in storage boxes and secured with trigger guard locks.

Valuable items, such as television, stereos, and computers have been inscribed with the identifying number approved by local police.

Our home inventory is up-to-date and includes pictures. A complete inventory is kept somewhere out of the house.

Barriers to Burglary
Burglary is a crime of opportunity. Make their work risky and difficult, and you stand a good chance of stopping them before they get in.

Your First Line of Defense
To a burglar visibility means vulnerability. They hide behind fences and shrubbery. The key is to keep trespassers out while keeping your property visible. Use picket or chain link fences. Keep hedges clipped down around waist level.

On the Outside Looking In
Burglars try the doors and windows first. If burglars have difficulty here, chances are they will move on to another property.

Locks and Doors
The strongest are deadbolt locks with a minimum 1″ throw bolt containing a hardened, saw-resistant steel insert. Attach the strike plate to the door frame with 4″ screws. The double cylinder deadbolt lock requires a key from both sides, preventing a burglar from breaking glass in the door and turning the knob from the inside. Make sure the cylinder of the lock has a steel guard – a ring around the key section. The cylinder guard should be tapered, or it should rotate around the key section to prevent wrenching.

Remember, though, a double cylinder dead- bolt can also block your exit in an emergency.

Check with your local law enforcement agency or building inspector to see if these locks are permitted in your area.

Hinges
Doors that swing out have hinges on the outside. A burglar can easily remove the hinge pins and lift the door out. To foil this, remove the center screw from each side of the hinge and insert a metal pin or headless screw on one side. When the door is closed, the end of the pin will fit into the opposite hole. Thus, even if the pins are removed, the door will remain bolted to the frame.

Padlocks
Overhead doors, receiving doors, garage doors etc all are typically secured with padlocks and hasps. Look for sturdy padlocks that don’t release the key until the padlock is closed. The padlock should be case-hardened with a 3/8″ shackle to resist repeated smashing. Remember, a padlock is only as good as the hasps on which it is mounted; so bolt hasps securely to a metal plate, and make sure the bolts are concealed when the padlock is closed.

Door construction
Burglars can kick in a weak door. Replace hollow core doors with solid core doors, or strengthen the existing ones with metal sheets. Replace weak door frames, or reinforce them with steel or concrete. Protect glass in the door with steel bars or mesh; or place a polycarbonate sheet over the glass on the inside.

Windows
Protect windows by putting grates, grill work, or bars over them; or cover the glass on the inside with a clear polycarbonate sheet. The sheet should extend 1-1/2″ beyond the perimeter of the glass and be bolted to the door. Space the bolts approximately every 3 inches. Unbreakable safety glass is also available, but it is more expensive.

Other entrances
Skylights, ventilation ducts, and fire escapes tempt burglars because these openings usually are not visible from the street. Protect skylights and ducts with metal grates and iron bars. The first stair of a fire escape should be too high for the average adult to reach from the ground. The door or window leading to the escape should be equipped with emergency exit features: window guards should be removable or hinged to allow for an emergency exit. Keys to locked windows or doors should be kept nearby.

Key control
Because any lock gives way to a key, practice good key control.

• Label keys with a code indicating back door, receiving door, display case, etc
• Engrave “Do Not Duplicate” on all keys
• Restrict key-access to your most trusted employees; maintain a log to record removal and return
• Consider having locks re-keyed when an employee leaves your business

Guards
Join neighboring businesses to hire a uniformed guard from a reputable security company. Check references. The security staff should be familiar with your employees, your store hours and your shoplifting/internal theft policies.

Lighting
Light is a great crime deterrent. In fact, some states have minimum standards for exterior lighting. Light up all dark areas, especially doors and windows. If your business is in a poorly lit commercial area, join with other merchants to petition local government for more lights or pool funds and underwrite the cost yourselves.

Alarms
Before you invest in an alarm system, weigh the cost against your need. How valuable is your merchandise? How great is your risk? After installing an alarm, let burglars know by putting warning signs in windows and entrances. Every alarm system should include:

• a fail-safe battery backup
• fire-sensing capability
• a feedback device to check the system

For an expert appraisal of your security needs, ask for a premise security survey by your local law enforcement agency, or check with a reputable security consultant.

Operation Identification
Mark your property with your Alabama driver’s license number (preceded by the letters “AL”). Then put Operation I.D. decals (obtained from your local law enforcement agency) on all windows and doors to warn burglars that your property can be traced. Keep a complete, up-to-date inventory of your merchandise and property: office machinery, personal belongings, etc. Put a copy in your safe deposit box or at a location away from the business site.

Remember
Locks and alarms can’t prevent a burglary unless they’re in use. Establish a routine for “closing up shop,” locking doors and windows, setting up alarms.

If a Burglar Breaks In
Your best protection against an intruder is visibility: Well-lit open spaces, low counters, and large, uncluttered display windows – these precautions keep the burglar in the spotlight. Put your safe and cash register up front so that the burglar’s activity will be visible from the outside. Empty your cash drawers and leave them open so a burglar won’t be tempted to break them open. Anchor safes in concrete, and make sure they have combination locks. Put locks on all interior doors and hook them into your alarm system. (Always check fire regulations before installing such locks.)

If you suspect a burglary:

• Don’t go in – the burglar may still be inside
• Don’t open for business – your employees and customers may unwittingly alter valuable evidence
• Call a law enforcement agency immediately

Apartment Watch
Just like Neighborhood Watch, members of an Apartment Watch learn how to make their homes more secure, watch out for each other and their community, and report crime and suspicious activities to the police. Here are some ways to get an Apartment Watch going and growing.

• Help arrange with local police for apartment security surveys and Operation Identification.
• Organize citizen patrols to walk around the apartment complex and alert police to crime and suspicious activities. Don’t forget to patrol parking lots, stairways, laundry rooms, and playgrounds.
• Publish a newsletter that gives local crime news, recognizes Apartment Watch captains, and highlights community activities.
• Organize a reception in the lobby of your building or a cookout on common property so neighbors can get to know one another.
• Keep pressure on management to make sure it provides adequate security.
• Start a Safe Haven Program for children — places where they can go in emergency or scary situations.
• Check the complex on a regular basis for problems such as burned-out light bulbs, dark corridors, uncollected trash, or broken locks on mailboxes and doors. Report problems to the building manager.
• Organize meetings to brainstorm how you can help each other, such as starting an escort service for the elderly or after-school care for children.

Apartment Security

• Does your entry door have a deadbolt lock and peephole?
• Does your sliding glass door have wooden rod in the track so it can’t be opened and pins in the overhead frame so it can’t be lifted out?
• Does your landlord or building manager tightly control all keys?
• For extra security, leave a radio playing or a light on when you are gone. Always tell your neighbors and the building manager when you leave for a business trip or vacation.

Checkout Your Building

• Is there some kind of control who enters and leaves the building?
• Are walkways, entrances, stairways, parking areas, elevators, hallways, laundry rooms and storage areas well-lighted, 24 hours a day?
• Are fire stairs locked from the stairwell side above the ground floor, so you exit but no one can enter?
• Are things well-maintained…are burnt out lights fixed promptly, shrubs trimmed, trash and snow removed?
• Are mailboxes in a well-lighted, well-traveled area and do they good locks?

Checkout the Neighbors

• Get to know your neighbors. Join or organize an Apartment Watch Group so neighbors can look out for and help each other.
• If you live in a large building or complex, think about a tenant patrol that watches for crime around the building, provides escort services for the elderly and handicapped, and monitors comings and goings in the lobby.
• Work with landlords to sponsor social events for the tenants…a Sunday breakfast, a picnic, a Halloween party.
• Look beyond problems to root causes…does your building need a better playground, a social evening for teens, a tenant association, new landscaping, a basketball hoop? Work with the landlord for changes that make everyone proud of where they live.

Don’t Make It Easy for a Thief To Steal Your Wheels.
One vehicle is stolen every 20 seconds in the United States. Stolen cars, vans, trucks, and motorcycles cost victims time and money – and increase everyone’s insurance premiums. They’re also often used to commit other crimes. Don’t become a victim of this serious crime.

The Basic Prevention Policy

• Never leave your keys in the car or ignition.
• Always lock your car, even if it’s in front of your home.
• Copy your tag number and vehicle identification number (VIN) on a card and keep them with your driver’s license.
• Keep the keys to your home and car separate.
• Keep your car in good running condition. Make sure there’s enough gas to get there and back.
• Avoid parking in isolated areas with little foot or auto traffic. Be especially alert in unstaffed lots and enclosed parking garages.
• If you think someone is following you, drive to the nearest police or fire station, open service station, or other open business to get help.
• Don’t pick up hitchhikers. Don’t hitchhike yourself.
• If you often drive at night, or alone, consider a CB radio or cellular phone to make it easier to summon help in an emergency.

Vehicle License Plate Safety Tips
Protect your vehicle license plates and the registration tabs. Numerous license tabs are being stolen and resold because proof of insurance is required in order to apply for current registration.

• Check your license plate occasionally to ensure your current year license tab is attached
• If you have a build up of past year tabs remove them prior to adding the current year
• Once you attach the current sticker – slice an X or diagonal lines, with a sharp razor blade, through the year tab so the sticker will not come apart in one piece
• A sturdy metal frame bolted to the license plate will discourage thieves from cutting the corner off your license plate in order to steal the year sticker
• Be aware of people loitering near the rear of vehicles
• Call the police if you suspect criminal activity

Stealing a car by force has captured headlines across the country. Statistically your chances of being a carjacking victim are very slim, and prevention actions can reduce the risk even more.

Why is Carjacking a Problem?

• No one knows for certain, but some explanations include:
• It’s a crime of opportunity – a thief searching for the most vulnerable prey. Sometimes it’s the first step in another crime.
• For some young people, carjacking may be a rite of passage, a status symbol, or just a thrill.
• Cars, especially luxury ones, provide quick cash for drug users and other criminals.
• Sophisticated alarms and improved locking devices make it harder for thieves to steal unoccupied cars.
• It’s easy to buy, steal, or barter for guns in this country. And a pointed gun makes a powerful threat.
• More teens and adults commit crimes of violence than ever before.
• Intense media interest may have created “copycat” carjackers.

Anywhere, Anyone

• Most local and state criminal codes don’t define “carjacking.” It’s reported as either auto theft or armed robbery. This means that no solid statistics exist on time, place, and victims.
• Though carjackings can occur anytime, a sizable share appear to take place during the late night hours.
• Carjacking isn’t just a problem in large cities – it happens in suburbs, small towns, and rural areas.
• Carjackers look for opportunity. They don’t choose victims by sex, race, or age.

Golden Opportunities: What do Carjackers Look For?

• Intersections controlled by stop lights or signs.
• Garages and parking lots for mass transit, shopping malls, and grocery stores.
• Self-serve gas stations and car washes.
• ATMs (automated teller machines).
• Residential driveways and streets as people get into and out of cars.
• Highway exit and entry ramps, or anyplace else that drivers slow down or stop.

The “Bump and Rob”
It works like this. A car, usually with a driver and at least one passenger, rear-ends or “bumps” you in traffic. You quickly get out to check the damage and exchange information. Either the driver or one of the passengers jumps in your car and drives off.

• If you’re bumped by another car, look around before you get out.
• Make sure there are other cars around, check out the car that’s rear-ended you and who’s in it. If the situation makes you uneasy, memorize or jot down the car’s tag number and description; signal the other car to follow you. Drive to the nearest police station or to a busy, well-lighted area.
• If you do get out of the car, take your keys (and purse or wallet if you have one) with you and stay alert.

Reduce Your Risk – Getting In

• Walk with purpose and stay alert.
• Approach your car with the key in hand. Look around and inside the car before getting in.
• Be wary of people asking for directions or handing out fliers.
• Trust your instincts – if something makes you feel uneasy, get into the car quickly, lock the doors, and drive away.

On the Road

• Keep your doors locked and windows rolled up (at least part-way, if it’s hot and you don’t have air conditioning), no matter how short the distance or how safe the neighborhood.
• When you’re coming to a stop, leave enough room to maneuver around other cars, especially if you sense trouble and need to get away.
• Drive in the center lane to make it harder for would-be carjackers to approach the car.
• Avoid driving alone. Go with someone whenever possible, especially at night.
• Don’t stop to assist a stranger whose car is broken down. Help instead by driving to the nearest phone and calling police to help.

Getting Out

• Park in well-lighted areas, near sidewalks or walkways. Avoid parking near dumpsters, woods, large vans or trucks, or anything else that limits your visibility.
• Never leave valuables in plain view, even if the car is locked.
• Put them in the trunk or out of sight.
• Try to park in a garage with an attendant. Leave only the ignition key, with no identification.
• Even if you’re rushed, look around before you get out and stay alert to the surroundings.

If It Happens to You…

• If the carjacker threatens you with a gun or other weapon, give up your car. Don’t argue. Your life is worth more than a car.
• Get away from the area as quickly as possible.
• Try to remember what the carjacker looked like – sex, race, age, hair and eye color, special features, clothes.
• Report the crime immediately to the police.

Take Action

• Work with Neighborhood Watch groups, law enforcement, automobile club, and other concerned groups to get the word out about carjacking prevention. Try a special flier, a community forum, posters.
• Make sure that driver education classes talk to teens about preventing carjacking and other auto theft.
• Call the local radio station and ask the manager to air carjacking prevention tips during commuting hours.
• Ask your insurance agent or company to put carjacking and other auto theft prevention information in notices and bills.
• Enlist parking lot owners, shopping mall security, and transit authorities to print and distribute educational materials with carjacking prevention tips.
• Place carjacking prevention fliers or brochures in the waiting rooms or dealer service departments, auto repair shops and gas stations.

Ask your state’s Motor Vehicle Administration to display carjacking and auto theft prevention advice – posters, handouts, etc.- in its offices and distribute prevention tips in all mailings.

When you go to work, don’t leave your crime prevention sense at home. Almost any crime that can happen at home or in your neighborhood, can happen in the workplace. But common-sense prevention skills can help make life “at work” safer for all.

Office Theft

• Keep your purse, wallet, keys, or other valuable items with you at all times or locked in a drawer or closet.
• Check the identity of any strangers who are in your office — ask whom they are visiting and if you can help them find that person. If this makes you uncomfortable, inform security or management about your suspicions.
• Always let someone know where you’ll be — whether it’s coming in late, working late, going to the photocopier or mail room, going out to lunch or a meeting.
• If you bring personal items to work such as a coffee pot, a radio, or a calculator, mark them with your name or initials and an identification number.
• Report any broken or flickering lights, dimly lit corridors, doors that don’t lock properly, or broken windows. Don’t wait for someone else to do it.
• Be discreet. Don’t advertise your social life or vacation plans and those of your coworkers to people visiting or calling your place of work.

Trouble Spots

• Reception area — Is the receptionist equipped with a panic button for emergencies, a camera with a monitor at another employee’s desk, and a lock on the front door that can be controlled?
• Stairwells and out-of-the-way corridors — Don’t use the stairs alone. Talk to the building manager about improving poorly lighted corridors and stairways.
• Elevators — Don’t get into elevators with people who look out of place or behave in a strange or threatening manner. If you find yourself in an elevator with someone who makes you nervous, get off as soon as possible.
• Restrooms — Attackers can hide in stalls and corners. Make sure restrooms are locked and only employees have keys. Be extra cautious when using restrooms that are isolated or poorly lighted.
• After hours — Don’t work late alone. Create a buddy system for walking to parking lots or public transportation or ask security to escort you.
• Parking lots or garages — Choose a well-lighted, well-guarded parking garage. Always lock your car and roll the windows up all the way. If you notice any strangers hanging around the parking lot, notify security or the police. When you approach your car, have the key ready. Check the floor and front and back seats before getting in. Lock your car as soon as you get in — before you buckle your seat belt.

Workplace Violence

Violence in the workplace takes many forms, from raised voices and profanity or sexual harassment to robbery or homicide. While homicide in the workplace is rising, 75 percent of work-related homicides are committed by unknown assailants while committing a robbery or other crimes. Despite media hype, the attacker usually isn’t a disgruntled coworker. To assess a workplace’s vulnerability to violence, ask yourself these questions.

• Is your office secure? Do you have easy-to-use phone systems with emergency buttons, sign-in policies for visitors, panic buttons, safe rooms, security guards, office access controls, good lighting, and safety training?
• Does your employer take care in hiring and firing? Before hiring, are employment gaps, history, references, and criminal and educational records thoroughly examined? Are termination procedures defined clearly with attention to advance notice, severance pay, and placement services?
• Could you recognize potentially violent employees? Signs of stress that could erupt into violence include: depression, frequent absences, talking in a louder-than-normal voice, being startled easily, increased irritability and impatience, and concentration and memory problems.
• Are you encouraged to report unusual or worrisome behavior? Is there a clear, written policy that spells out procedures in cases of violence and sanctions for violators? Make sure you know to whom you should report unusual behaviors.

Do you work in a supportive, harmonious environment? Is there a culture of mutual respect? Does your employer provide an employee assistance program (EAP)?

Getting Together to Fight Crime
Something may be wrong in your neighborhood. There’s too much violence, or there’s an ever-present threat. Perhaps a child you know was robbed. Maybe you’ve seen signs of drug dealing. Maybe a string of break-ins has you wondering what’s coming next. You’re uneasy-even frightened-for yourself and your family. Perhaps nothing violent has happened, but you see warning signs-such as graffiti, vandalism, abandoned cars, loitering, litter-that crime and violence may be reaching your neighborhood soon.

You can change things by getting together with neighbors who share your worries. There are two things you need to do: look out for your families and yourselves, and get involved in your community.

People just like you have cleared drug dealing out of their neighborhoods, made parks safe for children and sidewalks secure for play, curbed assaults, reduced muggings, eliminated rapes and murders, wiped out graffiti and vandalism, started programs for teens.

What Kind of Neighborhood?
The neighborhood may be a development of single homes, a row of townhouses, a commercial corridor, an apartment complex, or even a school. Crime may be right there scaring everyone off the streets, or just looming on the horizon. Whatever your neighborhood’s like, getting together to fight crime, violence, and drugs can help create communities where children can be children and people once isolated by crime and fear can enjoy being a part of a thriving neighborhood.

Things May Look Fine, But…Whether it’s a quiet neighborhood where teens haven’t much to do, or a rural town that’s been stable, even communities that seem calm can be facing a crime threat. Things may be OK now, but how do you keep them that way?

Everyone can see the early warning signals-the little worries that alert you to the need to prevent bigger problems. The trick is to swing into action at the first sign of trouble, not to wait until it comes to your front door. Abandoned autos, people loitering, vacant homes, graffiti, a rash of break-ins, or other signs of possible trouble should be a clue to act now.

Acting right away on small problems can prevent big ones later.

It’s Too Rough for Me To Get Involved
Maybe crime has a strong grip in your neighborhood-street violence, muggings, drug dealing, shootings. People see the situation as out of hand. Some people are scared that the criminals will take revenge if they act.

There are at least three ways to counter fear. First, join together. There is strength in numbers. Most criminals attack victims who are alone-not in groups. And groups can rally, march, and hold vigils to demonstrate their commitment. Second, you can work with the police to set up a system that lets people remain anonymous and still report crimes. Third, you don’t have to meet where the problem is. In one neighborhood, people met several blocks away at a local church. No one felt singled out, and everyone gained as crime was slowly but surely driven out.

Start Something!

• First, find out what’s already going on. Groups that are already working against crime and drugs will welcome and help you. Ask the local police, especially the crime prevention staff; check with community associations and civic groups as well as clubs.
• Is there an existing group that ought to be involved in preventing crime? A home-school organization like PTA; a tenants’ group; a fraternity or sorority; a community service club such as Lions, Rotary, or JayCees; a social club; a church; a mental health association; a taxpayers’ or homeowners’ association-these are just some kinds of groups that can be a base for action.
• No group ready to adopt crime prevention? Start a group in your neighborhood-even if it’s just on your block. You don’t have to be the leader, but you could organize the first meeting.

Getting Neighbors Together
You’ve already talked with some neighbors-at the grocery store, on the sidewalk, over the back fence, at the bus stop, across the kitchen table. You know people are unhappy about the way things are, that they’d like to see something done.

The next step-make that discussion a bit more purposeful and organized. Set up a meeting to decide how you want to change things. Here are some tips for that first session.

• Be sure it doesn’t conflict with other important events.
• Make sure there is enough room at the meeting place for everyone to be comfortably seated. Not enough room at a home in the neighborhood? Maybe a church basement, a school classroom, or a business or community meeting room is available.
• Plan to keep the meeting fairly brief-less than two hours is probably good. Have an agenda prepared for the group’s approval.
• Invite people in person, by phone, by flier-whatever’s most appropriate. Knock on doors, send notes, or make phone calls to remind them.
• Invite schools, businesses, and houses of worship to send representatives. Ask local officials-law enforcement, elected officials, social services, others-to send someone who can explain how they can help.
• Share the work so that people work together from the start. One person can organize refreshments; another can be in charge of reminder calls. Someone else can set up the room. Someone can take notes and write up your group’s decisions. Another neighbor can be the “researcher,” gathering information in advance. Another can lead the discussion.
• Allow people to share their concerns. You’ll be surprised how much you all have in common. But don’t get caught in a gripe session.
• Remember, you’re there as a group to decide what problems you’ll tackle and what actions you’ll take, not just to talk. Everyone should have a chance to take part, but be sure the group makes some clear decisions.
• Your group should consider surveying neighbors, either in person or by phone, to get a better idea of the range of their problems and concerns.
• Don’t plan to tackle every problem at once. The group should identify one or two issues that need immediate action-but keep track of (and get back to) other problems. For instance, parents and youth may need drug prevention education, but the more immediate problem might be closing down drug sales in the neighborhood.
• List next steps and who will take them. Try to get everyone to commit to helping with your plan. Agree on the next time, date, and place for a meeting and the subjects that should be covered.
• Unsure about how to run a meeting? Talk to a member of the clergy, a local civic leader, a business person, the League of Women Voters, or the Chamber of Commerce. One of them will be glad to share experiences in making meetings effective.

Everyone Can Do Something
As you get under way, it’s important to enlist the help of as many people as possible from your community. There’s something each person can do to help. Anyone can hand out educational brochures. Young children can pick up litter or learn to settle arguments without fighting; older youth can teach younger ones about preventing violence or organize positive activities like concerts that can replace drug traffic in a nearby park. Caring adults can help troubled youth; families can help each other. Business people can help manage programs and raise funds; civic activists can round up local agencies to meet needs like recreation, housing, or education. Many things help cause crime, violence, and drug abuse problems in a community; many kinds of activity will help to end the problems. Some may be more direct than others, but all will help.

Anyone-and everyone-can take the most basic actions, like reporting suspicious behavior or crimes in progress to the police. Whatever the contribution of time, energy, talent, and resources-small or large-it will help.

Street Smarts

Test Your “Street Smarts” IQ: Do you…

• Jog or walk by yourself early in the morning or late at night when the streets are quiet and deserted?
• Stuff your purse with cash, keys, credit cards, checkbook – and then leave it wide open on a counter, your desk, the floor?
• Put your wallet in a jacket, which you then hang up or throw over a chair?
• Let your mind wander – thinking about your job, or all the things you have to do – when walking or driving?
• Think it’s a waste of time to lock your car when you’ll be back in a few minutes?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you need to change a few habits. Even if you answered “no” and made a perfect score, read on. Spend a few minutes now to prevent trouble later.

Basic Street Sense

• Wherever you are – on the street, in an office building or shopping mall, driving, or waiting for a bus – stay alert and tuned in to your surroundings.
• Send the message that you’re calm, confident, and know where you’re going.
• Trust your instincts. If something or someone makes you uneasy, avoid the person or leave.
• Know the neighborhoods where you live and work. Check out the locations of police and fire stations, public telephones, hospitals, and restaurants, or stores that are open late.

On Foot

• Stick to well-traveled streets. Avoid shortcuts through wooded areas, parking lots, or alleys.
• Don’t flash large amounts of cash or other tempting targets like expensive jewelry or clothing.
• Carry a purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps.
• Put a wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket, not a back pocket.
• Try to use automated teller machines in the daytime. Have your card in hand and don’t approach the machine if you’re uneasy about people nearby.
• Don’t wear shoes or clothing that restrict your movements.
• Have your car or house key in hand before you reach the door.
• If you think someone is following you, switch direction or cross the street. Walk toward an open store, restaurant, or lighted house. If you’re scared, yell for help.
• Have to work late? Make sure there are others in the building, and ask someone – a colleague or security guard – to walk you to your car or transit stop.

Learn more about auto theft and carjacking.

• Keep your car in good running condition. Make sure there’s enough gas to get where you’re going and back.
• Always roll up the windows and lock car doors, even if you’re coming right back. Check inside and out before getting in.
• Avoid parking in isolated areas. Be especially alert in lots and parking garages.
• If you think someone is following you, don’t head home.
• Drive to the nearest police or fire station, gas station, or other open business to get help.
• Don’t pick up hitchhikers. Don’t hitchhike.

On Buses

• Use well-lighted, busy stops.
• Stay alert! Don’t doze or daydream.
• If someone harasses you, don’t be embarrassed. Loudly say “Leave me alone!” If that doesn’t work, hit the emergency device.
• Watch who gets off with you. If you feel uneasy, walk directly to a place where there are other people.

If Someone Tries To Rob You

• Don’t resist. Give up your property, don’t give up your life.
• Report the crime to the police. Try to describe the attacker accurately. Your actions can help prevent others from becoming victims.

Learn more about things you can do and things kids can do.

• Take a Stand
• Make your neighborhood and workplace safer by reporting broken street lights, cleaning up parks and vacant lots, and lobbying local government for better lighting in public places.
• Join a Neighborhood, Apartment, or Office Watch to look out for each other and help the police. Or find out how you can organize a neighborhood watch.
• Help out a friend or co-worker who’s been a victim of crime.
• Cook a meal, babysit, find the number for victim services or a crisis hotline.
• Listen, sympathize, and don’t blame.
• Look at the root causes.

Work for better drug treatment services, crime and drug abuse prevention education, and job and recreational opportunities for young people in your community.

ATM Safety & Security Tips
The primary focus of these ATM Crime Prevention Tips is user safety. Due to heightened user awareness and prevention applications, a recent survey indicated that ATM crime incidents are on a downward trend.

Because of the variety of ATMs, the unique characteristics of each installation, and crime considerations at each location, no single formula can guarantee the security of ATM customers. Therefore, it is necessary for ATM customers to consider the environment around each ATM and various procedures for remaining safe when using an ATM.

Criminals select their victims and targets, focusing on the unaware or unprepared. Criminals are also drawn to environmental conditions that enhance the opportunity to successfully complete their crime. The attitude and demeanor you convey can have a tremendous effect on potential assailants. There are a number of things you can do to increase your personal security and reduce your risk of becoming an ATM crime victim.

The following crime prevention tips can help make the use of ATM’s safer for everyone.

• Walk purposefully and with confidence. Give the appearance that you are totally aware of your surroundings
• Be aware of your total environment and what is going on around you. Criminals tend to avoid people who have this type of demeanor
• Perform mental exercises and think out what you would do in different crime or personal security situations
• Follow your instincts. If you feel you are in danger, respond immediately. Remember that your personal safety is the first priority

ATM Selection Considerations
The law sets minimum standards for ATM lighting, procedures for evaluating the safety of ATM’s and requires notices to ATM users outlining basic safety precautions for using ATM’s. Although ATM environmental design issues are covered in the law, there are other considerations that an ATM customer needs to consider prior to selecting and using an ATM. For example:

• Do not select an ATM at the corner of a building. Corners create a blind area in close proximity to the customer’s transaction. Select an ATM located near the center of a building. An ATM further from the corner reduces the element of surprise by an assailant and increases effective reaction time by the user
• Identify an ATM with maximum natural surveillance and visibility from the surrounding area. This will create a perceived notion of detection by a criminal and increases the potential for witnesses
• Select an ATM at a location void of barriers blocking the line of sight of the ATM. This includes shrubbery, landscaping, signs and decorative partitions or dividers. Barriers provide hiding areas for would-be assailants
• Select an ATM that is in a well-lighted location
• Whenever possible, select an ATM that is monitored or patrolled by a security officer
• Select an ATM with a wide-angle transaction camera and/or a continuous transaction surveillance camera. Consult the bank or location management for this information
• Solicit prior criminal activity statistics from law enforcement for the ATM site and surrounding neighborhood
• Avoid ATM locations with large perimeter parking lots and numerous ingress and egress points

Considerations Prior To and During Transactions

• Always watch for suspicious persons or activity around an ATM. Be aware of anyone sitting in a parked car in close proximity to or at a distance from the ATM location
• If you notice anything strange, leave and return some other time. Even if you have already started a transaction, cancel it and leave.
• Maintain a small supply of deposit envelopes at home, in your car or office. Prepare all transaction paperwork prior to your arrival at the ATM site. This will minimize the amount of time spent at the ATM
• Maintain an awareness of your surroundings throughout the entire transaction. Do not become so involved with your transaction that you are not aware of changing conditions in the area
• Do not wear expensive jewelry or take other valuables to the ATM. This is an added incentive to an assailant
• If you get cash – put it away right immediately. Do not stand at the ATM and count it
• Never accept offers of assistance with the ATM from strangers; ask the bank for help
• Never lend your ATM card to anyone; treat it as if were cash or a credit card
• If you use a drive-up ATM, ascertain your vehicle doors and windows are locked
• During evening hours consider taking a companion along, park close to the ATM in a well lighted area and lock your car. If the lights around the ATM are not working properly, do not use it
• When leaving an ATM location make sure you are not being followed. If you are being followed, drive immediately to a police, sheriff or fire station, crowded area, well-lighted location or open business. Flash your lights and sound your horn to bring attention to your situation
• If you are involved in a confrontation and the attacker is armed with a weapon and demands your money or valuables, GIVE IT TO THE SUSPECT. Do not resist, property may be recovered later or replaced

Fraud Considerations

• Memorize your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Do not write it down or keep it in your wallet or purse. Do not tell anyone else your PIN ANYONE !! (including bank employees, the police, etc.)
• Shield the ATM keypad from anyone who may be standing or parked nearby or anyone crowding you in an attempt to view your PIN and/or transaction. Use your body as a shield if necessary while you enter your access code
• Make sure you retain your transaction receipt. Do not throw the receipt away at the ATM site
• The National Consumers League has opened a toll-free number to provide information on ATM frauds and scams. The National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060 employs counselors who will refer consumers to the proper agency for reporting a fraud or scam
• Immediately report any stolen or lost ATM card to the proper entities

As far as your security is concerned, you can never be too careful, too prepared or too aware. Share this information with family and friends. Schedule family discussions and practice regularly to ensure that everyone you know is safe and informed.

Safety for Seniors
As people grow older, their chance of being victims of crime decreases dramatically. But a lifetime of experience coupled with the physical problems associated with aging often make older Americans fearful. Though they’re on the lookout constantly for physical attack and burglary, they’re not as alert to frauds and con games – in reality the greatest crime threat to seniors’ well being and trust.

Want to conquer fear and prevent crime? Take these common-sense precautions.

• Be Alert When Out and About
• Go with friends or family, not alone.
• Carry your purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Don’t carry credit cards you don’t need or large amounts of cash.
• Use direct deposit for Social Security and other regular checks.
• Whether you’re a passenger or driver, keep car doors locked.
• Be particularly alert in parking lots and garages. Park near an entrance.
• Sit close to the driver or near the exit while riding the bus, train, or subway.
• If someone or something makes you uneasy, trust your instincts and leave.

Find out more about protecting your home.

• Make Your Home Safe and Secure
• Install good locks on doors and windows. Use them! Don’t hide keys in mailboxes and planters or under doormats.
• Instead, leave an extra set of keys with a neighbor or friend.
• Ask for photo identification from service or delivery people before letting them in. If you are the least bit worried, call the company to verify.
• Be sure your street address number is large, clear of obstruction, and well-lighted so police and other emergency personnel can find your home quickly.
• Consider a home alarm system that provides monitoring for burglary, fire, and medical emergencies.

Find out more about frauds and cons.

• Watch Out for Con Artists
• Don’t fall for anything that sounds too good to be true – a free vacation, sweepstakes prizes, cures for cancer and arthritis, a low-risk, high-yield investment scheme.
• Never give your credit card, phone card, Social Security, or bank account number to anyone over the phone. It’s illegal for telemarketers to ask for these numbers to verify a prize or gift.
• Don’t let anyone rush you into signing anything – an insurance policy, a sales agreement, a contract. Read it carefully and have someone you trust check it over.
• Beware of individuals claiming to represent companies, consumer organizations, or government agencies that offer to recover lost money from fraudulent telemarketers for a fee.
• If you’re suspicious, check it out with the police, the Better Business Bureau, or local consumer protection office. Call the National Consumers League Fraud Information Center at 800-876-7060.

Find out more about neighborhood action.

• Get Involved in the Community
• Report any crime or suspicious activities to law enforcement.
• Form a neighborhood watch to look out for each other and help the police.
• Work to change conditions that hurt your neighborhood.
• Volunteer as a citizen patroller, tutor for children, office aide in the police or fire departments, mentor for teens, escort for individuals with disabilities.

Does Your Community Have a Triad Program?
It’s sponsored on a national level by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA). Triad promotes partnerships between senior citizens and the law enforcement community, both to prevent crime against the elderly and to help law enforcement benefit from the talents of older people. If you’re interested, contact your chief of police, sheriff, or AARP chapter or call Triad at NSA, 703-836-7827.

Holiday Safety Tips
The holiday season is always a special time of year. It is also a time when busy people become careless and vulnerable to theft and other holiday crime. We can never be too careful, too prepared or too aware. Please share this information with family, friends and neighbors.

Driving

• Avoid driving alone or at night.
• Keep all car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your car. Set your alarm or use an anti-theft device.
• If you must shop at night, park in a well-lighted area.
• Avoid parking next to vans, trucks with camper shells, or cars with tinted windows.
• Park as close as you can to your destination and take notice of where you parked.
• Never leave your car unoccupied with the motor running or with children inside.
• Do not leave packages or valuables on the seat of your car. This creates a temptation for thieves. If you must leave something in the car, lock it in the trunk or put it out of sight.
• Be sure to locate your keys prior to going to your car.
• Keep a secure hold on your purse, handbag and parcels. Do not put them down or on top of the car in order to open the door.
• When approaching and leaving your vehicle be aware of your surroundings.
• Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area.
• Ask mall or store security for an escort before leaving your shopping location.

Shopping

• Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member.
• Dress casually and comfortably.
• Avoid wearing expensive jewelry.
• Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible.
• Always carry your Driver’s License or Identification Card along with necessary cash, checks and/or a credit card you expect to use.
• Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
• Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible.
• Keep cash in your front pocket.
• Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen or misused.
• Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home.
• Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, transportation terminals, bus stops, on buses and other rapid transit.
• Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps.
• Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

Children

• If possible, leave small children at home with a trusted babysitter.
• Teach your child to go to a store clerk and ask for help in case your child is separated from you.
• Teach children to stay close to you at all times while shopping.
• Never allow children to make unaccompanied trips to the restroom.
• Children should never be allowed to go to the car alone and they should never be left alone in the car.
• Teach children their full name, address and telephone number to give to police officers or mall security. Teach children to immediately inform you if a stranger is bothering them.

At Home

• Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave the house, even for a few minutes.
• When leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your newspapers and mail.
• Indoor and outdoor lights should be on an automatic timer.
• Leave a radio or television on so the house looks and sounds occupied.
• Large displays of holiday gifts should not be visible through the windows and doors of your home.
• When setting up a Christmas tree or other holiday display, make sure doors and passageways are clear inside your home.
• Be sure your Christmas tree is mounted on a sturdy base so children, elderly persons or family pets cannot pull it over on themselves.
• If you use lights on your Christmas tree ensure the wiring is not damaged or frayed. Frayed or damaged wiring can cause a fire.
• Place your Christmas tree in water or wet sand to keep it green.
• Never place wrapping paper in your fireplace.

Strangers at Your Door

• Be aware that criminals sometimes pose as couriers delivering gifts.
• It is not uncommon for criminals to take advantage of the generosity of people during the holiday season by soliciting donations door-to-door for charitable causes although no charity is involved.
• Ask for their identification, and find out how the donated funds will be used. If you are not satisfied, do not donate.
• Donate to a recognized charitable organization.

Hosting a Party

• Have non-alcoholic beverages available for party guests.
• Find alternative transportation for intoxicated guests.
• Arrange for an official designated driver for your party who will not drink at all.

Attending a Party

• Have something to eat before consuming alcoholic beverages.
• Eat high protein foods that will stay in your stomach longer and slow the absorption of alcohol into your system.
• Remember only time will eliminate the alcohol from your body.
• Know your safe limit.
• Never drink and drive.

Preventing Fraud
It’s not always easy to spot con artists. They’re smart, extremely persuasive, and aggressive. They invade your home by telephone and mail, advertise in well-known newspapers and magazines, and come to your door.

Most people think they’re too smart to fall for a scam. But con artists rob all kinds of people – from investment counselors and doctors to teenagers and elderly widows – of billions of dollars every year.

Just remember… if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

You Can Protect Yourself!

• Never give a caller your credit card, phone card, Social Security, or bank account number over the phone. It’s illegal for telemarketers to ask for these numbers to verify a prize or gift.
• Beware of 900 numbers. People who call 900 numbers to request instant credit often end up with a booklet on how to establish credit or a list of banks offering low-interest credit cards. Such calls can end up costing $50 or more, but consumers rarely end up obtaining credit.
• Listen carefully to the name of a charity requesting money.
• Fraudulent charities often use names that sound like a reputable, well-known organization such as the American Cancer Association (instead of the American Cancer Society).
• Ask for a financial report before you donate; a reputable charity will always send you one.
• Investigate before you invest. Never make an investment with a stranger over the phone. Beware of promises that include the terms “get rich quick,” or “a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Be a Wise Consumer

• Don’t buy health products or treatments that include: a promise for a quick and dramatic cure, testimonials, imprecise and nonmedical language, appeals to emotion instead of reason, or a single product that cures many ills. Quackery can delay an ill person from getting timely treatment.
• Look closely at offers that come in the mail. Con artists often use official-looking forms and bold graphics to lure victims. If you receive items in the mail that you didn’t order, you are under no obligation to pay for them – throw them out, return them, or keep them.
• Be suspicious of ads that promise quick cash working from your home. After you’ve paid for the supplies or a how-to book to get started, you often find there’s no market for the product and there’s no way to get your money back.
• Beware of cheap home repair work that would otherwise be expensive, regardless of the reason given. The con artist may just do part of the work, use shoddy materials and untrained workers, or simply take your deposit and never return.
• Use common sense in dealing with auto repairs. One mechanic convinced a woman that she needed to have the winter air in tires replaced with summer air! Get a written estimate, read it carefully, and never give the repair shop a blank check to “fix everything.”

Some Classic Cons
Although con artists come up with new scams as times change, some classic scams never go out of style.

The Bank Examiner
Someone posing as a bank official or government agent asks for your help (in person or via the telephone) to catch a dishonest teller. You are to withdraw money from your account and turn it over to him or her so the serial numbers can be checked or the money marked. You do, and never see your money again.

The Pigeon Drop
A couple of strangers tell you they’ve found a large sum of money or other valuables. They say they’ll split their good fortune with you if everyone involved will put up some “good faith” money. You turn over your cash, and you never see your money or the strangers again.

The Pyramid Scheme
Someone offers you a chance to invest in a up-and-coming company with a guaranteed high return. The idea is that you invest and ask others to do the same. You get a share of each investment you recruit. They recruit others, and so on. When the pyramid collapses (either the pool of new investors dries up or the swindler is caught), everyone loses – except the person at the top.

Protect Yourself From Telemarketing Fraud

• Your best protection is to just hang up the phone. If you think that is rude, tell these callers politely that you are not interested, don’t want to waste their time, and please don’t call back – and then hang up. If you find yourself caught up in a sales pitch, remember the federal government’s Telemarketing Sales Rule.
• You have to be told the name of the company, the fact that it is a sales call, and what’s being sold. If a prize is being offered, you have to be told immediately that there is no purchase necessary to win.
• If the caller says you’ve won a prize, you cannot be asked to pay anything for it. You can’t even be required to pay shipping charges. If it is a sweepstakes, the caller must tell you how to enter without making a purchase.
• You cannot be asked to pay in advance for services such as cleansing your credit record, finding you a loan, acquiring a prize they say you’ve won. You pay for services only if they’re actually delivered.
• You shouldn’t be called before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. If you tell telemarketers not to call again, they can’t. If they do, they have broken the law.
• If you’re guaranteed a refund, the caller has to tell you all the limitations.
• And remember, don’t give telemarketers your credit card number, your bank account number, Social Security number – or authorize bank drafts – ever.

If Someone Rips You Off

• Report con games to the police, your city or state consumer protection office, district attorney’s office, or a consumer advocacy group.
• If you suspect fraud, call the National Fraud Information Center at 800-876-7060, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST.
• Don’t feel foolish. Reporting is vital. Very few frauds are reported, which leaves the con artists free to rob other people of their money – and their trust.

Ten Things Adults Can Do To Stop Violence

1. Set up a Neighborhood Watch or a community patrol, working with police.
2. Make sure your streets and homes are well-lighted.
3. Make sure that all the youth in the neighborhood have positive ways to spend their spare time, through organized recreation, tutoring programs, part-time work, and volunteer opportunities.
4. Build a partnership with police, focused on solving problems instead of reacting to crises. Make it possible for neighbors to report suspicious activity or crimes without fear of retaliation.
5. Take advantage of “safety in numbers” to hold rallies, marches, and other group activities to show you’re determined to drive out crime and drugs.
6. Clean up the neighborhood! Involve everyone – teens, children, senior citizens. Graffiti, litter, abandoned cars, and run-down buildings tell criminals that you don’t care about where you live or each other. Call the local public works department and ask for help in cleaning up.
7. Ask local officials to use new ways to get criminals out of your building or neighborhood. These include enforcing anti-noise laws, housing codes, health and fire codes, anti-nuisance laws, and drug-free clauses in rental leases.
8. Work with schools to establish drug-free zones.
9. Work with recreation officials to do the same for parks.
10. Develop and share a phone list of local organizations that can provide counseling, job training, guidance, and other services that can help neighbors.

Ten Things Kids Can Do To Stop Violence

1. Settle arguments with words, not fists or weapons. Don’t stand around and form an audience.
2. Learn safe routes for walking in the neighborhood, and know good places to seek help. Trust your feelings, and if there’s a sense of danger, get away fast.
3. Report any crimes or suspicious actions to the police, school authorities, and parents. Be willing to testify if needed.
4. Don’t open the door to anyone you and your parents don’t know and trust.
5. Never go anywhere with someone you and your parents don’t know and trust.
6. If someone tries to abuse you, say no, get away, and tell a trusted adult. Remember, it’s not the victim’s fault.
7. Don’t use alcohol and other drugs, and stay away from places and people associated with them.
8. Stick with friends who are also against violence and drugs, and stay away from known trouble spots.
9. Get involved to make school safer and better – having poster contests against violence, holding anti-drug rallies, counseling peers, settling disputes peacefully. If there’s no program, help start one!
10. Help younger children learn to avoid being crime victims. Set a good example and volunteer to help with community efforts to stop crime.