Prevention Works

Don’t just be Bystander – Start an Activity or Program

There are many neighborhoods across the country that are plagued with gun and gang violence.One of the reasons children may decide to get involved with gangs and other deviant behavior is because of a lack of support in the home.Another reason could be a lack of positive activities for them to engage in in the community.The economy and constant budget tightening have affected many localities and organizations alike.Sometimes, all it takes is a creative mind from an average and caring person to start an activity or program for it to blossom and make a positive impact in the community.

Such is the case with Lee Deyo from Cocoa, Florida.According to Floridatoday.com, Lee Deyo saw a problem in her community and decided to do something about it.The Crestview Villas apartment complex in Cocoa, Florida is considered a “hot spot” and was beset with drug dealing and gang violence.This complex was widely known as “800s” because it was dominated by a teen gang called the “800 Bound.”Ms. Deyo decided to start an after-school cooking program for children. Because of her efforts, as well efforts from the police working with the landlord to install a wrought-iron gate and surveillance cameras, the drug pushers have moved out and the gang members pushed out.

Most of the children in the cooking class attend the local elementary school and are very excited about the class.There, they learn not only how to cook, but also how to plan a meal, to budget, make a grocery list, and work together in a team environment.Much of the proceeds come out of Ms. Deyo’s pocket, however, an area church, Celebration Tabernacle, is now getting involved. Ms. Deyo wants to offer more classes such as sewing and auto mechanics.Keeping the kids active in a positive environment has been rewarding for this neighborhood and has provided the opportunity for the kids to learn valuable life lessons and a trade as well.

Many times, people want to help their community but don’t know how or where to get started.Often times, the simplest of ideas are the most successful.Try looking for partners such as a local church or an area community center that could provide a great venue to house a program or activity.If you need or want help, consider a person who is retired or a senior citizen who is open to volunteering their time and talent.Our seniors are an underused resource and have a wealth of skills and life experiences that could make a positive impact on a young person’s life.  Don’t just be a bystander.Getting started may be the hardest step to take but the rewards are well worth it.

For additional information regarding the cooking class, visit:

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091207/NEWS01/912070306/1006/Amid+poverty++youths+put+on+a+different+hat

With Valentine's Day Approaching, Be Safe - Online

Social networking sites have become vastly accepted in today’s generation, leaving traditional networking in the dust for many young people. Social networking sites have been accepted into today’s culture not only because of America’s ever changing innovations in technology but, for their convenience as well. America’s youth have access to these networking sites at their finger tips, literally, with iphones, blackberry’s and other forms of hand held gadgets. According to Brian Solis.com, a site that tracks statistics on young people and their usage of social networking sites, determined that nearly 80,000 young Americans use and maintain a profile on popular sites such as Face book and MySpace. I believe that it is safe to say with St. Valentine’s Day quickly approaching these social networking sites are going to be thriving with young American’s looking for someone to share the special day with.

Although social networking via the internet today is just another norm, it is very important for Americans to take safety measures very seriously. If you’re a parent, it’s more important than ever to monitor your children’s usage of these sites very carefully, not only around the ever so popular Valentine’s ritual many young Americans enjoy celebrating, but at all times.

According to Salisburypost.com, posted on January 16th, 2010, 34 year Seth Hoyt of 375 Lowell St. in Reading, Mass. is being charged with statutory rape of a 14 year old girl who he met online. Investigator says he met up with the young girl at least five times where sexual acts have occurred. The girl’s mother reported Hoyt after he had dropped her off at her house post another meeting between the two. Captain John Sifford of the Rowan County Sheriff’s office said, "Certainly try to be aware of what your child is involved in on the computer and certainly try to monitor their use and monitor what they're doing, if they say they're going to be spending the night with a friend, confirm their story with parents and things of that nature." For more on the story go to: http://www.salisburypost.com/News/011610-cops-statutory-rape-charges

According to Manchester Evening News, a regional newspaper and website, posted on January 28th, 2010, written by John Scheerhout on February 28th, 2009, a father caught his minor daughter performing sexual acts online with a 43 year old man. While web chatting, the man exposed himself to the young girl several times and even convinced her to perform sexual acts on herself so that he could watch. After being arrested the man admitted to having regular contact with the young girl for quite some time. It was reported that girl now is traumatized from the incident and has experienced nightmares ever since. For more on this story go to: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/

Prevention is a key element in these cases. It is vital to your children’s safety to keep watch of what they are doing and who they are communicating with through these social networks. A few great safety tips or protecting your children are as follows…

• Talk to your children; keep an open and honest relationship with them.
• Make sure you create a comfortable environment where your children feel like they can confide in you.
• View your children’s profile pages.
• Create rules on internet usage, and sites.

Follow up on people that are on your children’s friend’s list by using a great site to track registered sex offenders, http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp?frm=0.

For more safety tips go to, http://www.wiredsafety.org/internet101/blogs.html.

Let’s talk safety . . . everyday

The news of VA Tech student Morgan Harrington’s remains being found last week hit me profoundly on a personal level. You will recall that Morgan Harrington went missing Oct. 13 after she attended a Metallica concert in Charlottesville with friends and wound up outside of the arena without her ticket or car keys. She called her friends and said she would find her own way home - that was the last anyone heard from her.

When I first heard that she was missing I thought about how easily that could have been me when I was in college.Not only am I a Virginia Tech graduate but I can remember that when I was a college student I often threw caution to the wind.The college campus always made me feel so safe.I felt so safe in fact that when I was off campus, I didn’t remember to increase my vigilance.I didn’t think about safety precautions or even remember basic guidelines.As a young adult I felt invincible and inherently trusting.I remembered piling into a car with other students, some I knew and some I didn’t, going to concerts and events in neighboring cities and sometimes across state lines.I could easily see how Morgan’s situation could have been a reality for me or my friends at that time.

I also thought about how strange it was that my Mother, a former juvenile corrections officer, stopped talking to me about safety precautions when I went away to college.If only she had known the risks I took, she would have continued to have those conversations that became fewer and far between in the years between high school and college.Maybe those discussions would have deterred me from doing some things but probably wouldn’t have stopped me from doing others.But this line of thought made me ask a question:Why don’t we continue to talk safety continuously to our loved ones?

As a teen and young adult I received more freedom with each growing year.The same is true for today’s teens and young adults.They report that as they grow older their parents do not talk about things like internet safety and tend to stop setting guidelines for their behavior.It seems to me that with more freedom to act on their own, we should look to have more consistent conversations about the personal responsibility that comes attached to this new-found freedom.

By nature of her job and the job that many of our readers do each day, my Mother knew the pitfalls and ills of the world were out there.Why didn’t she think I still needed those helpful reminders to stay safe?Is my experience isolated or do you think this situation is true of most families with older teens and young adults?<

If I’m not alone out there I encourage you to talk to your family members and loved ones about personal safety every so often.Share some tips from NCPC’s personal safety brochures.

Stay alert and tuned into your surroundings wherever you are—at school or the mall, on the street, waiting for a bus or subway, or driving.

If someone tries to rob you, give up your property—don’t give up your life.

Don’t go anywhere with someone you’ve just met.

Do everything you can to keep a stranger from getting into your car or to keep a stranger from forcing you into his or her car.

Trust your instincts. If something or someone makes you uneasy, avoid the person or situation and leave as soon as possible.

Always try to go out with friends.If you get separated from your friends, find a security guard or official store personnel to assist you.

Donate, but Be Careful

As rescue groups travel from all over the world to assist the Haitian people they need more than just physical help. Organizations like the Red Cross and World Health Organization are in dire need of financial support from people across the world. As terrible as it sounds, many people take advantage of disasters like this to make money themselves. Don’t be fooled when you are donating money; make sure your contributions are going to reputable organizations. These scams have been prevalent in past catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Asian Tsunami.

Since the disaster occurred hundreds of new sites related to Haiti have been registered. A good portion of these sites will either link you directly to a reputable relief site or charity. Unfortunately, some sites will look like a charity site, but in reality will be bogus. Most will have a donate button (like most charity sites) except the money will never find its way to the relief fund often the creators capture your credit card information for later misuse. Relief scams may also include “phishing” emails, which are trying to capture your personal information, or emails from the “family and friends” of Haitian nationals trying to get money to help their families. Daniel Borochoff, President of the American Institute of Philanthropy said “Beware of people sending emails claiming to be individuals in need of help. It’s very easy to throw up a website that appears to be a legitimate charity even if it is not.”

Here are some tips to insure you don’t get scammed:

Only donate to well-known reputable charities – the American Institute of Philanthropy has a list of Haiti relief organizations, like the Red Cross.

Be cautious donating online – the ease of buying a website and making it look real quickly can give the impression of a real relief organization. Most non-profits use .org rather than .com so that is an easy indicator.

Never donate to individuals,only organizations

Do your research – if you are not familiar with an organization do your background research before giving away personal information

Give money rather than clothing, food, etc – giving money gives the organization the flexibility to use it for multiple types of aid.

If you find a site that looks fraudulent report it to the National Fraud Information CenterDon’t be afraid to give and help those who need it most, but be careful when doing so. You want to make sure that your donations get to the victims of this tragedy.

Be WARY of WORK AT HOME Scammers

With the downturn in the economy, increased unemployment, and people facing foreclosures on their homes, “Work at Home” scams are returning to the forefront.Letters in the mail or emails promise big pay for work that is done in the comfort of your own home.They direct you to call or visit sites to register to work.Once you’ve registered, the scammers have all of your personal details, such as your address, email, phone number, social security number, etc. Some sites require that you pay a fee to register with them, so instead of stealing your identity, they just steal your money.

Thandi Zulu was single, pregnant, and staying at a women's shelter in Houston, Texas, when she received a mysterious letter one day. A company told Zulu that she could make big money working at home in a data-entry job. No résumé or experience was needed. All she had to do was pay a $200 fee. Zulu called the company and gave them her checking account number. As soon as she did it, it occurred to her that she was being scammed.She tried to call the company back and never got an answer.

Before you give your information to anyone, do a cross check on the site or company.Try to contact them through a phone number.Check with the Better Business Bureau. Whenever you pay for something online, check that the site is secure. Google the company and see if there is information online.NCPC offers a wealth of information on protecting yourself from fraud.Click here to access the fraud info.

How Can You Make the New Year Safer?

As each new year rolls around, we are inclined to make a “new year’s resolution,” and decide that this is the year that we will actually stick with it. Resolutions normally consist of weight loss goals, exercising, eating healthier, or quitting bad habits such as smoking or drinking. While these resolutions are certainly important, why not make a second resolution, one that not only impacts you, but your family, work place and community? This year, do something different. Make a resolution not only with yourself, but with others to practice crime prevention and personal safety in your community.

Making a safety resolution is not only a great way to get yourself in the habit of practicing crime prevention, but also a way to make others aware of it as well. Whether you decide to practice safety at home, on the computer, or in your community, incorporating safety tips into your everyday routines will help to make crime prevention a regular part of your daily life.

So how will you decide to stick to your new year’s safety resolution? Here are a few ideas to get your started:

Home and Personal Safety

• Always be aware of your surroundings
• Always make sure all doors and windows are locked in your house and car
• Try to park in well-lighted areas with good visibility close to walkways, stores, and people
• Consider an alarm system, some alarms may be purchased for as little as $100

Cyber Safety

• Always keep your passwords private
• Avoid giving out your personal information
• Only order things online from websites you know and trust
• Avoid opening e-mails or visiting websites that don’t seem trustworthy, they could contain a virus that may harm your computer

Neighborhood Safety

• Start or join a neighborhood watch groupin your area
• Organize neighborhood clean-up days to pick up litter, paint over graffiti, plant flowers or repair broken equipment in playgrounds
• Always ensure walkway and streets are well-lit
• Get to know your neighbors-work together to keep your neighborhood safe

For more ideas on how to kick-off your safety resolutions for 2010, visit www.ncpc.org.

Tis the Season – Be Aware and Be Safe

The holidays are now upon us. This is the time of season where families often gather together, people are out and about shopping for gifts, the malls and grocery stores are packed, and the excitement swells. This is also the time of year when thieves try to take advantage and look for opportunities to strike and make your holidays miserable. I’ve been a victim in the past. It was as quick as someone running past me in the mall and snatching my packages out of my hands that I just purchased.

Now more than ever is the time to be conscious of your surroundings and protective of your wares. Whether you are traveling out of town, just out for the evening, or shopping by yourself or with children, below are a few precautions to help make your holidays a safer one.

If you are traveling:

• Put an automatic timer on your lights
• Ask a neighbor to check up on your home
• Don’t forget to have your mail and newspaper delivery stopped

If you are out of the house:

• Turn on lights and music or the TV so it looks as if someone is home
• Be sure that your doors and windows are locked
• Don’t display your gifts where they can be seen from the outside
• If you plan to have packages delivered to your home, make sure you are home to accept them. If not, as a neighbor or ask that the package be sent to the nearest post office

If you are shopping:

• Stay alert and be aware of what’s going on around you
• Park in a well-lighted space
• Be sure to lock your car, close windows, and hide shopping bags and gifts in the trunk
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card whenever possible
• Don’t overburden yourself with packages
• Deter pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Carry a purse close to your body in the front. If you are carrying a wallet, place it in an inside coat or front pants pocket
• If shopping with kids, have a plan in case you get separated. For the older children, have a central meeting spot designated. For the younger children teach them to go to a store clerk or security guard if you get separated. Be sure they know your name (not just mommy and daddy), cell phone number, and their address. Go over the dangers of strangers with them so they know who not to talk to or follow
• Check receipts to see whether your full credit card number appears. If a receipt has your full number on it, take a pen and thoroughly scratch it out
• Double check that you have your credit cards and check book after you pay for your items

By following these tips, you can reduce your stress during the busy holiday season and be safe at the same time. Whatever holiday you celebrate, make it a safe one.

Happy Holidays!

Crime Response or Crime Prevention?

It has been more than 27 years since Dr. George Kelling co-authored (with James Q. Wilson) the groundbreaking crime prevention article "Broken Windows" in The Atlantic Monthly.

Simply stated the “Broken Windows” theory of crime prevention says fix the small problems, don’t ignore them, and the big problems will take care of themselves. When the window of a school or other building is broken through vandalism, unless that window is repaired right away it will spawn more vandalism in a downward spiral that can impact whole communities. This theory is often behind the so-called “zero tolerance” of petty crimes and “quality-of-life” crackdowns by political and law enforcement leaders in communities large and small.

In a recent speech, Dr. Kelling elaborated on current crime prevention measures and practices. For example, he cited the use of police in patrol cars rather than “walking a beat” as a practice that does a great job of responding to crime, but a less effective one of preventing the next crime. He also points out the differences in police response and resource application in a shooting that leaves a victim dead as opposed to one where a victim survives. In this example, the homicide case may receive the resources of 3 or 4 investigators, whereas a shooting where the victim survives receives, perhaps, 1 investigator. He says this underscores a reactive policy rather than a crime prevention policy. A shooting survivor may be the beneficiary of a skilled surgeon, a quick responding EMT, or the lousy aim of the shooter. A shooting that does no harm may get a report filed, but no investigation. Dr. Kelling holds that each of these incidents has similar weight in the crime prevention hierarchy, but receives inequitable attention from the police. He states that much of current police protocol is devoted to solving the case, not preventing the next crime.

One jurisdiction (Maryland) arrests the victims of shootings if they were 1) on parole or probation at the time of the shooting, and 2) can be shown to have been involved in criminal conduct (carrying drugs, possessing a handgun, committing a robbery) at the time of their shooting. The goal of this policy is to prevent future crimes and retaliatory shootings.

Is the “Broken Windows” theory showing its age or is it an effective modern tool for crime prevention? Post a comment below to be heard.

This Thanksgiving “Lock It or Lose It”

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times for travelers as many of us hit the road to share the holiday with friends and family. And due to the economy, more of us will be traveling by automobile. According to Triple AAA projections, there will be additional 2.1 percent motorists when compared to last year.

Many holiday travel tips will help you on your journey, but I want to focus on how to keep your vehicle safe as you join those on U.S. highways to travel often unfamiliar routes and to new places that hold potential risks for your vehicle.

While many of us have read the reports indicating an overall drop in crime across the country, we continue to read and hear about increases in personal property crime, especially theft of or from automobiles. The Roanoke Police Department recently launched the “Safer City Roanoke” campaign to address this problem, an expansion of their “Lock It or Lose It” Initiative that was started four years ago.

As you travel this holiday season, protect your vehicle with these tips from McGruff:

• Never leave your vehicle unattended with keys in the ignition.
• Lock your doors and keep the windows closed, even when parked in front of your home.
• Park in busy and well-lighted areas.
• Do not leave valuables—GPS, GPS holder, cell phone—in plain view.
• Equip your vehicle with an alarm or other anti-theft device.
• Never leave your vehicle registration or other personal documents in your vehicle.
• Report auto theft immediately. Provide local authorities with the make/model/license plate and Vehicle ID number.

To utilize these and other crime prevention tips in your community, please visit our home page at www.ncpc.org and see our Rapid Response for Law Enforcement/Community Outreach Tools. NCPC has recently added ten new topics in five languages that can be localized by your police department to help prevent crime in your community.

The Best Bang for the Surveillance Camera Buck

Researchers at the Urban Institute are taking a hard look at law enforcement’s use of surveillance cameras. In a study to be released at the end of the year, researchers are looking at three cities’ use of the cameras. In Baltimore, MD, the recent conviction of a woman accused of assault and handgun violations was achieved, in large measure, through the valuable footage provided by police surveillance cameras.

The Baltimore video reveals that it is not just the recording of static images that won the conviction, but, actually, the actions of the trained and skilled police officers who staffed the cameras and the monitoring studio. Although the conviction is a victory for proponents of surveillance cameras in police work, some continue to debate the value of surveillance cameras when weighed against the costs of equipment and deployment and perceived incursions into the privacy of citizens.

The Urban Institute study is looking at how cities are deploying and using the cameras to investigate and prosecute suspects. Baltimore, one of the cities under study, is monitoring the cameras’ images nearly 24-7, using police officers and retired personnel as real-time observers. These experienced, skilled officers are able to 1) recognize a crime (e.g., a drug transaction) from the images on the screen and 2) communicate immediately to officers on patrol to capture or track down fleeing suspects. On occasion, the observing officers have even directed the on patrol officers on the route to use to apprehend suspects. The city prosecutor is reaping the benefits of good positive identifications of suspects, which translate into sounder criminal cases for that office. The Baltimore City Police Department thinks of the surveillance cameras in all aspects of their policing and not as a stand-alone resource. They envision the technology as an enhancement and an extension of their police services, not as a replacement for patrols or crime prevention. Preliminarily, the researchers have been impressed by the impact they are seeing from the use of the cameras in Baltimore.

Two other cities in the study are using the cameras but are not integrating them in police work as extensively as they are being used Baltimore. In their early analysis, the researchers are finding that the cities that further invest resources (technology, money, staff power) into their initial investment on surveillance cameras are getting the best crime prevention and law enforcement bang for their buck.

While the report, once published, will shed light on the cost/benefit question and ideal implementation strategies police departments might follow, I don’t think it will stop the debate that surrounds the surveillance camera strategy. What do you think? Click on the comments link below and let us hear from you.