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Crime Prevention Tips
Safety Tips At Home
Lock all doors and windows before leaving the house.
Before going out for the evening, turn on lights and a radio so the house looks occupied. If going on an extended
vacation, get neighbors to watch your house, shovel snow, pick up newspapers, and park their car in the driveway
from time to time. Make sure items like VCRs, stereos, cameras, electronics, valuables, etc. are marked with a
unique identification number to help police recover them in case of theft. Be wary of strangers coming to the door
asking for charitable donations. Ask for identification, if the donations are tax deductible, and how the funds
are going to be used. If you aren't satisfied with the answer, do not contribute. Beware of package deliveries
where the couriers have the wrong address. Write down tag numbers of suspicious delivery attempts.
Shopping
Be careful of people loitering in parking garages, parking lots, and out side of stores. Go the other way.
Shop before dark if possible.
Never park in an unlit lot, no matter how convenient it is.
Lock doors and close windows even if shopping for only a few minutes
Lock packages in trunk. ( Do not lock purses or valuables in truck when people can be watching).
Park near street lights, and have keys in hand when you return to your car
Check interior of car before getting in, esp. back seats
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. If possible, carry checks, credit cards and travelers checks
Don't carry excess credit cards. Carry only those necessary for the stores that you will shop.
Keep credit card numbers recorded and keep this information in a safe place
Be extra careful of purses and wallets.
Carry purse under arm and keep wallet in inside pockets, not in back of trousers
Teach children to go to a store clerk or security guard if they get separated from you. They should never go into
a parking lot alone
Work
Lock up gift bought on lunch break and encourage co-workers to do the same
Be especially careful to keep purse/wallet with you at all times or in a locked drawer or cabinet
If you see unauthorized people in places that they shouldn't be, call security immediately
Give a ride home to a co-worker who might have drunk too much at a company Event
Identity Theft is the fastest-growing crime in America today, affecting more than half a million new victim per
year. Identity theft or identity fraud is the taking of a person's identity to:
obtain credit and/or credit cards
steal money from a victim's accounts
apply for loans
file bankruptcy
establish accounts with utility companies
rent apartments
obtain a job
Thousand of dollars can be lost without the victim knowing about it- sometimes for even months up to years
Preventing Identity Theft
Pay attention to your billing cycles. A missing credit card bill could mean that an identity
theft has taken over your credit card account, and has changed your billing address.
Cancel all credit cards that have not been used within a period of 6 months. Open credit is a prime target.
Order a credit report at least every 6 months
Reports should be obtained from all 3 major credit report sources. You can contact:
Equifax @ 1-800-685-1111
Experian @ 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
TransUnion @ 1-800-680-7293
Correct mistakes on your credit report in writing. Send the letters return receipt requested
Identify the problems item by item and send it with a copy of you credit reporting agency
You should hear from the agency within 30 working days
How Identity Thieves Work
The thief obtains your date of birth, social security number, and other identifying information like your address
and phone number. With this information and fake driver's license, they can apply in person or by mail for instant
credit by posing as you. They often claim that they have moved and provide their own address. Once their first
account is open, they can continue to add to their own creditability.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Tips
Dating Violence affects one in four teens. This type of abuse is not just physical, but it is
emotional abuse also. Yelling, threatening, name calling, extreme possessiveness, and obsessive phone calling or
paging, are all a phase of Dating Violence.
You Are a Victim of Dating Violence if you are going out with someone who is jealous and possessive, won't let
you have friends, and checks up on you or won't accept breaking up?
Tries to control you by being bossy, giving orders, making all the decisions, or not taking your opinion seriously?
Puts you down in front of friends or tells you that you would be nothing without him/her?
Scares you? Makes you worry about reaction to things you say or do? Threatens you? Uses or owns weapons?
Is violent? Has a history of fighting, loses his temper quickly, brags about mistreating you or others? Grabs,
pushes, shove, or hit you?
Pressures you for sex or is forceful or scary about sex? Gets too serious about the relationship too fast?
Abuses alcohol or other drugs and pressures you to use them?
Has a history of failed relationships and always blames the other person for all of the problems?
Believes that he or she should be in control of the relationship?
Makes your family and friends uneasy and concerned for your safety?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is possible that you are a victim of Dating Violence or Abuse.
Both males and females in heterosexual or homosexual relationships can experience dating violence or abuse.
Get out of abusive relationships?
Don't put up with the abuse. You deserve better!
Know that you are not alone. Teens from all over the country of all different economical and ethnic backgrounds
have been involved in a violent relationship.
Understand that you have done nothing wrong. It is not your fault.
Know that the longer you stay in the abusive relationships, the more intensive the violence will become.
Recognize that being drunk or high on drugs in not an excuse for someone to become abusive.
Talk with your parents, a friend, counselor, a faith or spiritual leader, or someone else you trust. The more isolated
you are from your friends and family, the more control your abuser has over you.
Know that you can get help from professionals at rape crisis centers, health services, counseling centers, your
family health care provider, or a local clinic.
Alert a school counselor or security officer about the abuse.
Keep a daily log of the abuse for evidence.
Remember that no one is justified in attacking you just because she or he is angry.
Do not meet him/her alone. Do NOT let him/her in your home, car, or near you when you are alone.
Avoid being alone at school, your job, on the way to and from places and anywhere else he/she might have access
to you.
Always tell someone where you going and when you plan to be back.
Plan or rehearse what you will do if he/she becomes abusive to you.
Being a Friend to A Victim of Dating Violence. Most teens talk to other teens about their problems. If a friend
tells you things that sound like his/her relationship is abusive, here are some suggestions or some ways to help:
Don't ignore signs of abuse. Talk to your friend.
Express your concerns. Tell your friend that your are worried about him/her. Support, do not judge.
Point out your friends strengths- many people in abusive relationships suffers from little or not self-esteem left.
Remind them of their talents, abilities, and gifts.
Encourage your friend to confide in a trusted adult. Offer to go with the friend for professional help.
Find out what laws in your state may protect you friend from the abuser.
Never put yourself in a dangerous situation with the victims partner. Don't try to mediate, or get directly involved.
Call the police if you witness an assault. Tell and adult- school principal, guidance counselor, or school resource
officer- if you suspect the abuse but don't witness it.
Take Action!
Educate teens and adults in your community. Start a peer education program on teen and dating
violence.
Encourage your school or community to start a program to help abusers conquer their behavior. Teach- Without resorting
to violence will help break the cycle.
Find information on healthy relationships and dating violence. Ask your school library to purchase books about
living without violence and the cycle of domestic violence.
Inquire about having health, social studies, contemporary living, and other classes incorporated into discussions
of teen dating violence and prevention measures.
Surfing the Net- Safely
Cyberspace is a gigantic arena where people can search for any and every type of information
available on any topic.
Rules of the Road The best tool used to search the Internet is your brain. If you come across sights that are pornographic,
excessively violent, or full of hate literature- Move On.
Here are a few reminders for Safe Surfing
never give out your name address telephone number
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