Have you ever been walking or driving down the street and seen something fishy?  What did you do about it?  We all want to be safe in our communities, but sometimes we don’t realize how much of that safety is up to us!  Whatever kind of neighborhood you call home, here are some tips on preventing crime using your eyes, your voice, and maybe an indelible marker.

It Takes A Village 
The idea of a neighborhood watch dates all the way back to the year 1700, when colonial Philadelphia passed a “safe streets” bill that authorized certain citizens to “go round ye town with a small bell in ye night time, to give notice of ye time of night and the weather, and [of] anie disorders or danger.”  These brave volunteers with small bells kept things under control until 1751, when a paid police force was established.  These days, neighborhood watch groups work together with official law enforcement to increase local crime awareness and serve as “the eyes and ears” of officials who can’t be everywhere at once.  Search for your local watch group in this database, and consider joining up – besides the obvious safety benefits, it’s a great way to meet your neighbors and get involved in community decisions and events.  If your search comes up empty, and you want to lead the way, check out the National Sheriff’s Association’s tips on how to get started.

Stay Alert! 
Of course, you don’t need an organized group in order to discourage crime (after all, things worked out pretty well for the Lone Ranger).  All you need is alertness, some safety-conscious habits, and the willingness to trust your instincts.  Program your local police departments’ emergency and non-emergency numbers into your phone, so you can call in if you need to.  Set your mental radar for different types of suspicious behavior or signals — strange noises, unfamiliar people knocking on doors, vehicles driving slowly with their lights off or pedestrians taking shortcuts through backyards.  Get to know the area and your neighbors so you can recognize when something’s “off.” According to the National Sheriff’s Association, “communities in which citizens have observed and reported suspicious activity have enjoyed lower crime rates.”  Take care of your neighborhood and it will take care of you!

Make Safety A Family Value 
Even in the safest communities, it can be scary to let your kids out on their own, but a little pre-emptive education can make everyone breathe a little easier.  Make sure your children know that they can and should talk to you if they ever see anything that makes them uncomfortable or scared.  Even young children should know their own full name, home phone, and home address.  Help them memorize the phone numbers of trusted adults, and practice making emergency calls with them just in case.  Teach them to recognize trustworthy adults — police and security guards, for example — and to go to them if they get lost.  Make sure they know which local places are ok to hang out in and which aren’t, and encourage them to walk with friends instead of alone.  For more good advice, visit the Sacramento County Sheriff’s department’s Streetwise Kids page.

Help Your Neighbors By Helping Yourself 
Just like you have to put on your own oxygen mask before you can assist others, good neighborhood security starts with good personal home security.  Mark important possessions with your driver’s license number or another identification marker using an indelible pen — this gives law enforcement a much greater chance of recovering the property if it’s stolen, and can help lead to burglary ring busts.  Invest in a home security system — besides the obvious personal safety benefits, a study by the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice recently showed that neighborhoods with more home security systems experienced fewer break-ins, concluding that “security systems protect entire neighborhoods.”

This guest post was written by Cara Giaimo, a blogger for SimpliSafe.  Cara covers issues regarding home security, safety, consumer technology, and crime; in her spare time, she likes running, jamming with friends, and making strange types of ice cream.  SimpliSafe is a leader in the wireless home security field.