Crime Wave Magazine

Taking on new challenges in home security

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Your family is the most important thing in your life, which is why you are probably concerned with their security and well-being. There are many preventative steps which can be taken to ensure that your family remains safe and sound when in the privacy and sanctuary of home. Home security options are just as important if not more than home security.

Having a home security system is one of the most important things you can do to help keep your family safe.Didn’t catch that? This explains it. There are several different types of home security system, ranging from more basic models to ones with all the bells and whistles. With both types of systems, there are definite pros and cons to consider. The size of your home and layout of your neighborhood will also make a big difference on which system you go with.

If you live in a smaller home or you have budget constraints, it might be best to go with a more expensive home security system. These systems will typically sound a piercing alarm if someone tries to enter your home. In some cases, they will automatically notify the police. If you live in a large home with many valuables, get an all-inclusive system. These systems can set a grid around your house and detect motion when no one is home. They will notify the police in the event of a robbery and will even send a GPS signal to the home security company for further monitoring.

To find more information on home security systems, contact a local agent and have your questions answered today.

Preventing identity theft

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Identity theft can happen to anyone. It can occur while you’re at work or while you are at home. Here are a few ways you can prevent becoming a victim of identity theft.

1. Be careful when talking on the phone. Never give out personal information, such as your social security number, over the phone.

2. Protect your social security number. To keep your social security number safe, leave your SS card in a safe place. Your doctor and employer are perhaps the only people who need to know your SS number.

3. Use a shredder. Shredding personal documents or mail is essential if you want to prevent identity theft. Unbeknownst to many people, throwing your personal documents in the trash can be beneficial to identity thieves.

4. Keep your personal information to yourself. Don’t give out your personal information to strangers. Your neighbors, store cashiers and even your spouse’s relatives should be considered “strangers” in this aspect. You can never be too careful when it comes to protecting your identity.

5. Install virus protection on your computer. If you shop online, installing a firewall and virus protection program is essential if you want to keep your personal information protected.

Famous faces in the history of crime prevention

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

McGruff, the crime fighting dog, is the first famous face that comes to mind when I think of crime prevention. I shouldn’t be telling my age, but in the eighties McGruff was the man or “dog” should I say. I just knew he would show up if I even thought about taking a piece of candy from the local corner store and say “Don’t take a bite out of Crime.”

Smokey the bear, often compared with McGruff back in the day, you knew he was a force to be reckoned with if you went anywhere knew the woods are camping.The whole story can be found at http://www.rail.co/2011/07/19/first-capital-connect-alerts-the-public-on-risk-of-crime-at-king25e225802599s-lynn/

Eric Estrada is another famous crime prevention face. Eric played Poncherello a macho cop patrolling the California highway. Ponch was always into something, but you knew better to play around on the highways, because if he didn’t get you, he had a partner that would.

Tubbs and Crockett together or alone you knew better than to go to Miami and start any mess. Surely they would be there in there button shirts and suave suits to bust you.

Cagney and Lacey, two women, who you better not mess with it. Sassy and cute, but would not mind handing it to you if necessary.

Spring Break Safety Tips

admin — Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Spring Break is looked forward to by kids and parents alike. Some families choose to take a week off and relax at home while others prefer to take a vacation – whatever your situation, make sure you’re doing all you can to protect your home and family.
If you leave home for vacation:
Make sure to keep your house safe. This means telling neighbors you’ll be gone so they can watch for suspicious activity and setting light timers in several central areas of your house. Be sure to have someone pick up your newspapers while you’ re out and consider a home security alarm from a reputable company like adt security. Before you leave be sure you’ve left no candles burning and are up to date on your home, flood and fire insurance.
If you stay home for Spring Break:
Keep your kids safe. Your children may be at home, often alone, for longer than usual so be sure they know the rules about letting strangers in the house. Teach them to work the home alarm and also to stay away from dangerous areas of the house such as the kitchen. Have a friend come by at lunch to check on them if necessary.
Whatever your family does this spring break make sure they’re safe and secure by following these few simple safety tips.

National Crime Victimization Survey results

www.crimewavemagazine.com — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:33:21 +0000

The recent National Crime Victimization Survey offers some surprising and hopeful news, while also showing what issues need our attention in the upcoming year. Many people will likely be shocked to learn that the violent crime rate was down to 17.1 per 1000 people, its lowest since 1973. Property crimes are also down to 127.4 incidents per 100 people. For comparison, in 1975 the rate was over 553 per 1000.The survey also records which crimes are reported to police, and this information is a little less hopeful. Only half of violent crimes and 40 of property crimes are reported. If you are the victim of a crime, don’t hesitate to inform your local law enforcement authorities. Also, despite the drop in crime rates, the number of actual incidents is still frightening. The lower rates translate to about 4.3 million violent crimes and 15.6 million property crimes, with 133,000 personal robberies.There are many ways to protect your home and family in the face of today’s changing crime scene. Visit the National Crime Prevention Council or a home security retailer for more information on what you can do to keep your family safe.

Women and the art of self-defense

www.crimewavemagazine.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:21:29 +0000

Due to societal perceptions of women as fragile and vulnerable, they are more at risk for being the victim of assault and other crimes. However, most criminals are unprepared when women fight back. Alternatively, it takes only a little practice and training to become talented at self-defense.Defeating your opponent begins before actual contact is made. If you become aware that you are being followed, let the person know you see them and firmly tell them to leave. A brave attitude can be more effective than you would think. If instead you see the person coming closer, tuck your hair away to prevent your attacker from grabbing it, and then grab any weapons that you have at hand. A bottle of pepper spray or a tazer can be easily hidden in your purse. Otherwise, look for a pen, branch, or trash can lid within easy reach.Even if you find yourself without any of these things, you are far from defenseless. The elbow is the most powerful bone of the body, and if you can throw your weight into a good hit you can easily knock your opponent off-balance at the least. Don’t worry about aiming, since you will lose the element of surprise if you wait too long, but if you hit a weaker part of the body you will do more damage. The nose and the groin are the most vulnerable parts on a man’s body.If you are in a car, you should never open your car doors or windows to any stranger. If, however, you are forced to by someone with a weapon, try to crash the car as quickly as possible, since this will draw other people to your side. Criminals hate crowds, and will most likely run in this event.

Safest cities in America

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:15:01 +0000

Too many times, the news sheds the spotlight on the worst parts of America’s cities. However, many metropolitan areas enjoy very high levels of safety. Here are the top 10 safest cities/metro areas, as determined by Forbes magazine.

Minneapolis-St.Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: With a total of only 24 unnatural deaths out of every 160, the Minneapolis area holds the record for safest city. Violent crime is responsible for 9 of those deaths, with traffic deaths and natural disasters both accounting for 7.
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI: The 26^th most populous city in America is also the 2^nd safest. 24 deaths out of 40 are related to violent crime, but traffic deaths and natural disaster only account for 4 and 1 out of every 40, respectively.
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA: America’s greenest city only suffers 1 violent death in every 40, but has a higher number of natural disaster deaths (25).
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH: This all-American city has been undergoing gentrification and rising costs of living, but violent crime is down to 10 in 40 and traffic deaths are down to 1 in 40.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: Only 3 violent crime deaths and 2 workplace fatalities, but 31 natural disaster deaths tie this with Boston as the 4^th safest area.
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA: Providence nicknamed itself the “Creative Capital” in 2009. Its violent crime is down to 6, while natural disasters claim the lives of 28 in 40.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: The tenth-most populous city in America is still in the top ten safest, coming in at number 7.
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA: It may surprise some to see New York on the list, but it has less violent crime than Milwaukee and less natural disaster deaths than San Jose, Providence, Seattle, and Boston.
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN: Cincinnati has the highest number of workplace fatalities of the top ten cities at 27 out of 40 and traffic deaths at 20 out of 40, but it has very low violent crime and natural disasters.
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH: Cleveland is tied with Denver for the 10^th safest city. Cleveland has more violent crime, while Denver is known for more workplace fatalities.

National Crime Prevention Council holds back crime waves

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:31:09 +0000

The National Crime Prevention Council has been around since 1982 (two years after McGruff the Crime Dog first appeared). McGruff is only a part of the company’s public persona, however. In addition, the NCPC sponsors a number of programs in schools and neighborhoods around America.Project Safe Neighborhoods is a program for reducing gang and gun violence in America. Recently, the Council has been especially focused on keeping girls out of gangs, since new statistics show that the number of members is increasing. Recently, it was estimated that 60,000 to 80,000 females are gang members today, whether due to peer pressure, lack of money, drug use, abuse, or a relationship with a gang member. To combat these statistics, the Council is offering Anti-Gang Training Conferences and workshops to inform parents and teens alike of the risks.The importance of communication in preventing crime is growing. Members of Neighborhood Crime Watch groups already know how a well-organized program can lower crime rates, and the NCPC is emphasizing the need for parents to understand the risks that their children are facing. Also, the Council supports understanding between teens and students of different backgrounds. In the Circle of Respect, students are encouraged to manage conflicts by using respect, and not allowing rudeness or prejudice to lead to violence. Likewise, in the Underserved Teen Victims Initiative, teens from especially targeted groups like ethnic minorities and LGBT are supported through various campaigns. These also include networking with other teens in the area to promote understanding.The ability to prevent rising crime waves and violence lies in raising understanding about what causes it. After all, security systems are useful for protecting homes, but prevention is always the best defense.

How home security is changing

www.crimewavemagazine.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:21:55 +0000

New technology is allowing consumers more ways to customize their home security systems. With this new technology, people can access their security systems in ways once thought impossible. Even better, this technology is spreading over into other areas of life.Everybody knows what it’s like to worry about leaving the lights on or the alarm off after leaving the house. For those who actually have a reason to be nervous, there’s a number of companies that give you mobile access over your alarm system. Alarm.com offers their own security system which is connected wirelessly to GSM cell towers. This allows users to access the system from home with an Alarm.com app. If you have cameras set up, you can even watch video on your mobile device (even if you just need to see what the kids are getting up to while you’re away). iControl is a third-party developer that currently supports GE Security and Honeywell systems, but is adding ADT soon. Along with alarm system access, iControl (through their ConnectedLife software platform) also gives users remote control over their thermostat, lighting, and even electronic door locks.Lighting and heating aren’t the only systems that have gone wireless. New fire and carbon monoxide detectors can now communicate with security system main panels and automatically alert authorities whenever any danger is detected. Even better, the newest fire detectors, like Honeywell’s Ademco Wireless Heat Detector, don’t detect smoke (note the name). Instead, they work by sensing heat, making them more efficient and more palatable for those cooks not gifted with the culinary gene.

ADT offers materials for neighborhood crime watches

www.crimewavemagazine.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:06:53 +0000

ADT Home Security recognizes that successful home security requires more than just a reliable electronic system (although they offer those, too). Home security, in fact, is directly related to neighborhood security, and a Neighborhood Crime Watch can have a significant positive affect in that area. Such programs go by various names depending on your area, but ADT offers basic tips and materials for organizing one in your community.Starting a neighborhood watch works best when you network with the local law enforcement officials in your area. In most cases, they’ll be willing to help train citizens in home security and monitoring suspicious activity. On your own, ADT suggests creating a hierarchy, including a coordinator and block captains to recruit volunteers and communicate concerns to the main group. It’s important to remember that anybody can assist in a Neighborhood Watch Program, no matter what their age is. Younger children and the elderly can assist in clean-ups and block parties around the neighborhood. While this may not seem directly related to crime prevention, it helps form community in the group, and also lets people know who’s supposed to be there and who’s not.Once you start a program, you can register at USAonWatch.org, which is a part of the National Sheriff’s Association. They offer many convenient resources as well, including access to their newsletters and other publications. These highlight successful neighborhood watches in other areas and also celebrates local law enforcement agencies which are helping to make their city a safer place.As part of your program, make sure you have some way of marking any valuable items that are likely to be stolen, as well as organizing people to watch over the neighborhood at vulnerable times (such as during the night or when many people are on vacation). With such systems in place, your neighborhood will be a more secure, more connected place.