Prevention Works

The Path to Crime Prevention

Everybody talks about preventing crime, but most of us have no idea how to accomplish that goal. But preventing crime is within your reach, and so is showing that path to others. Here are some suggestions that will help prevent crime and victimization

1. Write to lawmakers and civic officials and express your concerns about victimization.
2. Organize a local group of interested people into an action team, and discuss ways to raise awareness and reduce victimization.
3. Everybody should share instances of victimization they observe through crime prevention websites or blogs and keep aware of what’s happening around them.
4. Remember, when citizens within their own community become actively involved in watching, caring, and protecting their neighborhood, criminal activity is reduced! Active participation is the only way crime watchers can effectively deter criminal behavior.
5. It’s never too early for children to learn about crime prevention. Parents can encourage children by teaching them to read articles about crime prevention.
6. Teachers should also get involved in educating their students in crime prevention activities by conducting crime prevention events (visit www.ncpc.org/training for ideas).
7. Support organizations that help people bring awareness of crime prevention activities by donating to them.
8. Think of crime prevention itself. That will keep you away from crime.
9. Government should work toward recidivism. If offenders are uneducated and unskilled, they will be likely to commit crimes again.
10. We should not only think of crime prevention, but also try to control the factors at the root of crime. The causes of crime include economic situations and poverty and poor social environments and family structures. Children are closely linked to these factors; the offender of tomorrow is often the vulnerable child of today. So we need to teach our children about acceptable social behavior and be supportive of them in any situation.
11. Education is a companion that no misfortune can depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate, no despotism can enslave.

Have A Safe Summer!

It’s that time of year again; the time that people, especially children, look forward to the most. Yes, you guessed it – it’s summer break time! The time when families go on vacation, children are out of school, the weather is warm and inviting, and the beach is calling. It’s a much needed time for children and parents to relax from the demands of school and work. It can be a time when one may let his or her guard down and not be as attentive as he or she should be.

Unfortunately, criminals do not take a break. Many times, criminals may see this as an opportunity to take advantage of relaxed vigilance. In recent weeks in the Washington, DC, area, sexual predators have entered unlocked doors and windows and preyed upon women. A high school student was sexually assaulted and almost abducted while walking on a wooded path to high school. And in Prince Georges County, a county just outside of the District, home invasion robberies have doubled.

As summertime kicks in, let’s remember to be safe and to teach and remind our children how to be safe. On NCPC’s website, there are hundreds of safety tips directed toward every audience and almost every topic. Below are just some of the examples:

Travel Tips

• If you are about to travel, check out our vacation tips (pdf) and our preparedness guide (pdf) for travelers.
• Don’t let your guard down when driving or filling up the car for that road trip. Look at these tips for car theft (pdf) and gas station theft prevention.

Safety Tips for Children and Youth

• Have your children check out the bike safety and streetwise tips (pdf).
• If your child will be home alone, share these tips with them.
• Review these facts with your teens about how NOT to be a victim of crime.

Safety Tips for Parents and Adults

• If your children will be spending more time on the Internet this summer, share these tips with them to help keep them safe.
• Before you go on vacation, use these convenient checklists for apartments (pdf) and homes (pdf) to help prevent intruders.
• If you want to prevent yourself from being a victim of violent crime, check out this list.

The bottom line is that we all need to continue to be attentive to our surroundings. Protect yourself and your loved ones by reducing the chance for criminals to victimize you and your family. NCPC wants you to have a fun and safe summer!

Thinking About the Unthinkable

Homeland security is rooted in hometown security. The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, once etched vividly in every American's memory, may be receding in the country's collective consciousness, but it is up to all of us to make sure that our country stays safe—and prepared—for any eventuality. Each citizen, civic official, faith leader, and business leader must be confident that his or her community's first responder organization can react effectively to any assault and, more importantly, knows exactly what is expected of him or her if the unthinkable should happen again.

Some tips for effective emergency preparedness include those below.

• Define the role of your first responder organization.
• Ensure that each member of your organization fully understands his or her individual role within the organization's plan.
• Ensure that all equipment needed for your role is ready for use at any time.
• Ensure that communications equipment is working at all times and that a communications protocol exists with other first responder agencies and local, state, and federal authorities.
• Work with other first responder agencies in your area to ensure that all parties agree on their roles, amend roles as necessary, and develop a comprehensive first responder area plan.
• Welcome local civic groups and others active in the community to take part in planning exercises.
• Ensure that all citizens know what to do in case of an emergency.
• Designate shelters and first aid locations in advance in conjunction with local and national agencies and religious groups that provide appropriate services.
• Ensure that evacuation plans and routes are developed and communicated to the public in case they are necessary. Mark evacuation routes with signs.
• Ensure that citizens always have supplies on hand in case they have to shelter in place and ensure that there are plans to supply public shelters from close by.
• Ensure that there is a communications plan for keeping citizens informed of developments.

Thinking about terrorist attacks isn't fun. But there was a domestic one—the Oklahoma City bombing—and then the September 11 attacks with their massive casualties in New York, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon. It's been a long time since anyone has attacked American soil. It would be nice to think it would never happen again, but we can't afford that luxury.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a neighborly day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?”  Ok, so I never really watched Mr. Rogers as a child, but it never stopped me from learning the song. I was always particularly interested in the question, “would you be mine?” (a neighbor that is) because really, how would someone know that they even wanted to be my neighbor? Perhaps they’re unsure of what it takes to be a neighborly neighbor? Is it as simple as lending me sugar or collecting my newspaper when I’m away, or might I ask them to perform simple tasks in a more complicated context, such as making a phone call when they suspect child abuse or hear gunshots on their front lawn?

On February 3, 2009, neighbors in Temple Hills, MD, heard approximately 8 gunshots around 8:00 p.m.  No one looked outside and no one called the police. What no one knew is that a 16-year-old boy lay shot in one of his neighbor’s yards. In fact, no one found this out until the police received its first phone call at 7:00 a.m. and arrived to turn over his lifeless body.

In this case, it may be easy to try and place blame on individuals in the neighborhood. But the truth is how often have we heard the sounds of violence next door and thought to “mind our own business”? How many neighborhoods have become deaf to the sound of gunshots because they hear them so often? Nowadays we can’t just live in our neighborhoods, we must actively serve them. Consider starting a Neighborhood Watch program or even a simple neighborhood phone tree that allows each of your families to be accounted for in the event you become aware of violence or an emergency.  It doesn’t take a lot to be a good neighbor – you only need to care and want to be one.

When Crime Prevention Needs To Begin at Home

My friend Laura told me a horrible story the other day. Her 33-year-old colleague Viviana Tellez-Giron was killed by her husband in a murder-suicide on October 4, during the first week of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The tragic irony of the situation is that Viviana worked as a volunteer for UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence, a not-for-profit organization in Madison, WI, that works to end domestic violence among Hispanic Americans.

"Viviana's death was so hard for us," Julie Anderson, UNIDOS' interim executive director, told The Capital Times. Such tragedies bring a flash of attention to the issue of domestic violence, she said, but UNIDOS is going to work to keep attention to the issue keen. "We want to create a community response. Domestic violence is a community problem, it needs a community response."

One in three American women will be domestically abused in her lifetime. But many of you are already familiar with this statistic. And many of you are already working to prevent domestic violence and other types of crime, as are we at NCPC. What struck me though about Viviana's death was that the tragedy occurred to one of our own. Viviana knew this statistic better than most victims of domestic violence and had been trained on how to prevent it. And yet, it wasn't enough to prevent her own death.

It made me realize that even those of us who work to fight and prevent crime every day are not immune to it. It reminded me that sometimes the most important training presentation we can make is the one we give at home. Who are the people in our own lives who might need to make changes in their lives to prevent becoming a victim? Have you taught the kids in your own house how to protect themselves from cyberbullies? Do your own parents know how to avoid becoming victims of telemarketing fraud? Can the homes and businesses in your own neighborhood benefit from the principles of CPTED?

That's what Viviana's death has taught me: that despite all the important work we do with strangers, crime prevention needs to begin in our own homes, families, and communities. How have you implemented crime prevention techniques and training in your home or community?

Some NCPC resources on preventing domestic violence:

• The Hidden Crime: Domestic Violence (reproducible brochure)
• Teens, Crime, and the Community: Session 14-"Dating Violence: Recognize and Prevent"
• Strategy: Providing Domestic Violence Services to Refugee Communities

Are You Dialed In?

We instinctively reach for the phone and dial 9-1-1 when we witness a crime, sense danger, or fear for our lives. We have been trained to use this number over the years and it is our lifeline for help.

Across the nation in times of personal crisis or community-wide disasters, the local and county public safety communications centers that receive these calls have emerged as the primary point of contact for the first responders who will rush to the scene of these incidents.

Our 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers are a large part of the public safety family and the service they provide can help provide a window into crime prevention as well. During these tough economic times, media outlets are reporting on crimes of opportunity such as personal property thefts at gas stations and burglaries, and certain cities across the country are still reporting spikes in crime. As we talk about helping people learn to be better citizens by being alert to suspicious behavior, it seems like a good idea to discuss what the average person can expect when calling 9-1-1.

The Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, does a great job in helping its residents be prepared to call 9-1-1. These tips are worth sharing here.

• Call 9-1-1 only during fire and medical emergencies, if a crime has occurred or is in progress, if you recognize a wanted criminal, and for all vehicle crashes.
• Stay calm, speak clearly, and answer all the questions you are asked.
• Give a brief description of the crime.
• Provide time of the crime.
• Share your exact location.
• Tell the operator the extent of injuries or damage.
• Provide description(s) of the suspect(s) including race, height, weight, clothing, hair color/style, facial hair, scars/marks/tattoos.
• Give a description of any weapons used.
• Provide a description of suspect's vehicle, including make/model, color, and tag numbers.
• Direction of the suspect's flight (east, west, down an alley or street) and mode of transportation (car, bike, or on foot).
• Do not hang up until the call taker tells you it is okay to hang up (even if you have accidentally called).
• Know the telephone number you are calling from.

Willis Carter, president of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International recently said it best: "Our nation's 9-1-1 telecommunicators are challenged daily and an educated 9-1-1 calling public makes their jobs easier and ensures positive outcomes for all parties involved.

As we recognize National Crime Prevention Month, let us also celebrate the hard work of the professionals dedicated to public safety at every level.

Mortgage Scams: How To Avoid Losing the House From Under Your Feet, Part II

Mortgage scams are on the rise and in my last blog I listed some of the more common ones. How can you protect yourself and your home from shady mortgage brokers, sellers, and realtors? I put together a list of tips from Bankrate.com, FBI.gov, and the advice of a few altruistic banking friends who wished to remain anonymous for contractual reasons.

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Many ads that promised "Credit No Problem" or "No Down Payment," turned out to be scams.
• Get referrals for real estate, mortgage lenders, and brokers before buying or selling your home, and check licenses with state boards. Avoid financing with a home seller unless you absolutely have to.
• Do your own research on what other homes in the neighborhood have sold for, and look into recent tax assessments of neighborhood homes.
• Don’t let anyone—realtor, mortgage broker, lender—talk you into making a false statement on your loan application.
• Be sure you read your contracts thoroughly and understand what you are signing before you do so. If possible, consider hiring a closing attorney to review your loan before signing. Ask the lender questions.
  1. Bring the original Truth in Lending statement you were sent by the lender at the beginning of your application process to the closing and compare that with the actual settlement statement. If there are material differences, question them.
  2. What is my interest rate? Is it fixed for the life of my loan? If not, when does it change? How much can it the rate increase when it does change and what will that do to my payment? How often does it adjust?
  3. What is the amortization on my loan?
• Never sign a blank document or a document that contains blank lines.
• Know your rights and responsibilities and the rights and responsibilities of your lender. There are laws in place to protect people, like the Right of Rescission, which gives you three days after signing a contract to retract some types of home loans without losing any money.
• Ask to review your documentation ahead of time. Don’t be afraid to seek expert advice and ask questions.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides counseling for low-income homeowners.

If you’re already a homeowner and you’re having trouble making mortgage payments, contact your lender before the situation gets too dire. There are plenty of scams out there that claim to eliminate mortgage debt or help you out if you’re facing foreclosure—don’t fall for them! The lenders don’t want your house, so most will work with you to help you keep it.

Be Prepared

While Al-Qaeda may have been dealt some setbacks in Iraq, it operates with a measure of impunity elsewhere. What comes to mind is the jailbreak by 400 Taliban fighters that Al-Qaeda engineered in Afghanistan, an embarrassment and danger to that country’s government, people, and the NATO forces fighting there.

How potent is Al-Qaeda? It is certainly a danger in the Middle East, but how threatened are we here in the United States? And how prepared are we to deal with a civil emergency should Al-Qaeda or some other terrorist group attack the American homeland again?

The National Intelligence Estimate, a July 2007 document by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence that the FBI recently sent out by email and posted to its website, is the “Intelligence Community’s most authoritative written judgments on national security issues and designed to help U.S. civilian and military leaders develop policies to protect U.S. national security issues.” The estimate states that worldwide anti-terrorist target hardening has made it more difficult for Al-Qaeda to strike than it was on 9/11. The report notes, however, “that this level of international cooperation may wane as 9/11 becomes more a distant memory and perceptions of the threat diverge.” The estimate notes that Al-Qaeda will continue to enhance its capabilities to attack the U.S. homeland through greater cooperation with regional terrorist groups. The estimate believes that non-Muslim terrorist groups will probably strike over the next several years, but assesses the likely violence to be on a small scale.

This report makes me question whether, seven years after the attacks on 9/11, we are becoming complacent about our security. Are we less prepared than we should be for another attack? Just as international cooperation may wane, so too may our preparedness. For example, does your family have an evacuation plan or a place to meet? Does it have an emergency kit? Who is supposed to pick up the kids at school? Is there a carpool plan from your workplace to different parts of your metropolitan area? Does your workplace have a shelter-in-place plan?

Perhaps it is time to revisit these questions.

Digital TV Scams: Coming to a Home Near You

On February 17, 2009, all major television stations are required by federal mandate to drop any remaining analog programming and completely switch over to digital broadcasting. Consumers must use a digital television, cable or satellite provider, or a digital to analog converter box in order to view digital broadcasts. This switchover will leave those who use ‘rabbit ears’ or rooftop antennas with blank screens. Fortunately, the federal government is distributing up to two free coupons, valued at $40 each, to every household that applies via the Internet, fax, mail, or phone (while supplies last). In this technology and entertainment-obsessed country, most people who rely solely on over-the-air analog television broadcasts are those who cannot afford or may not understand newer electronics. This leaves already vulnerable groups, low-income residents, and some senior citizens even more vulnerable. Seniors and low-income people are the least likely to have access to the Internet, and therefore have limited or no access to the essential information on the government’s website, www.dtv2009.gov. Without sufficient resources for accurate information on the digital switchover, many seniors and low-income individuals are highly susceptible to digital TV (DTV) scams.

Although applying online for government coupons may be easy for those who use the Internet every day, it can be a daunting task for those who are unfamiliar with computers. The government website, www.dtv2009.gov or its variation, www.dtv.gov, might seem like obvious places to look for information. But what about www.dtv.com or www.dtv.org? These websites seem as if they would lead you to useful information, but they actually host advertisements for satellite and digital service providers. Consumers should be guided to .gov websites instead.

Fearful of Internet scams, many individuals are attracted to alternative options. In recent weeks, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has received complaints about Universal TechTronics, a company that has been running newspaper ads across the country featuring “free” digital to analog converter boxes without government coupons. However, with shipping and handling and a hidden $59 warranty fee, TechTronic converter boxes cost the consumer nearly five times as much as those acquired from approved retailers with the government coupon. According to the BBB, these advertisements “prey on consumers’ lack of knowledge” about the digital transition.

Rather than deal with the hassle of acquiring a converter box, many consumers are upgrading to new digital televisions. However, purchasing a new TV can also be dangerous. In recent weeks, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, has heard several complaints involving television-related scams. Typically, someone will offer the victim a new digital television at a low price. Soon after, the scammer delivers a box weighted with something that resembles a television, collects a cash payment, and quickly leaves before the victim can discover the truth—there is no working TV in the box.

Although you may not be personally affected by the DTV transition, be on the lookout for friends, neighbors, or relatives who could be susceptible to DTV scams.

Care to Give Me All Your Money?

You know the phrases. You may have even seen a few in that card you were given on your birthday last year, the one where you turned 40 for the 41st time. “Past your prime” and “Over the hill” are just a few of the phrases that are used when we all get a bit older. Unfortunately, as awful as those terms are, a few new and even more unwelcome terms are beginning to rear their ugly heads, words such as “target” and “victim.” These new terms all come courtesy of the emerging crime trend of caregiver exploitation.

People are starting to live longer and longer, yet unfortunately instead of being able to celebrate their longevity, some seniors are battling trusted family members and associates who attempt to steal their money or property. According to a report by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), between 1 and 2 million Americans ages 65 or older have been exploited or mistreated by someone they have depended on for care. I imagine that this doesn’t even consider the cases that go unreported!

Fortunately, there are things that seniors can do to protect themselves from this shameful crime, such as using direct deposit for Social Security or retirement checks, reviewing financial statements every month, and being careful about letting tenants, even family members, stay in your house. For more resources and tips on how to report abuse and stay safe, visit www.ncea.aoa.gov.

Seniors are often characterized as being helpless or feeble. But times are changing, and I think it is only appropriate that all of those dated concepts be replaced with a few new and more fitting terms such as “aware,” “proactive,” and my personal favorite, “getting better with time.”

Crime prevention never gets old. And though I have no doubt there are many responsible and loving caregivers out there, all seniors can do their part in ensuring that they will not become victims. By empowering themselves and taking an active role in caring for themselves and their finances, they will be able to enjoy those wonder years that they’ve worked so hard for and deserve!