Cesar Estrada

Mr. Chiang-Schultheiss

English 1, MW 8:00 a.m.

March 03, 1997

Crime is a subject that many Los Angeles County residents would rather not think about but, unfortunately, can no longer ignore. The Los Angeles Police Department Annual Report for 1995 shows that crime was down about four percent when compared to the previous year, but that is little comfort when stories about robberies, rapes, murders, and other horrendous crimes are still headlines for the daily news. Crime might be down a few percentage points, but most Angelenos agree that a lot more needs to be done in the fight against it. What to do is the question that needs to be answered. Conservative politicians want to get hard on criminals, while liberals and social workers believe criminals can be reformed with more funding for social programs. While politicians battle each other on which approach to take with criminals, most experts believe that the best way for ordinary citizens to fight crime is the prevention of victimization. Taking several measures at home, work, and while traveling, can make a person less likely to be the target of a crime.

In 1995 alone there were 41, 325 burglaries in the city of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Police Department Annual Report). When you divide that by 365 days in a year, that equals 113 burglaries a day. What measures should be taken to lessen the chance of being burglarized? John Steel, in his book, An Ounce of Prevention: The Urban Dwellers Guide to Being Safe, defines home security as "the actions you take to provide an environment in which you feel safe and secure." One of the most important actions to take is to secure all doors and windows in the home. Doors allowing outside access should have a peephole. Cutting bushes and shrubs next to the house and installing exterior lighting along the driveway or entrance walk eliminates any hiding places for intruders. Installing a home security alarm is probably the most effective way to deter burglars. According to Steel, a house without an alarm is three times more likely to be burglarized than a house with one. Of course a burglar will not know if a house has an alarm or not; but if an alarm happens to go off, the burglar will most likely try to leave the area as soon as possible. Window bars are also effective, but they can be a hazard in case of a fire.

The workplace should be as safe as the home. The best thing to do is to be aware of the workplace security plan, call attention to deficiencies, and hope that they will be corrected. As Steel puts it, "making yourself aware of security procedures at your work place will serve two purposes: it will make you feel safer if all the appropriate precautions are taken, and if they are not, you have a basis for bringing them to the attention of your employer." Some things to look for are: is there security personnel after dark? Is there sufficient lighting in the parking areas? Is there controlled access to the work area. There are also several measures that individuals can take themselves, such as locking valuables in their desk, removing valuables from a jacket before taking it off, and to be familiar with the company's security plan, emergency procedures, and emergency switches.

Even though most of an individual's time is spent at work or at home, extra precaution should be taken when walking down a street because that is when most contact with strangers happens. An important thing to remember is to "not contribute to the anger and frustration in the street; if you are stressed out stay home. Lack of civility contributes to a situation getting out of hand." Basically, be considerate and aware of other pedestrians. Try not to walk alone at night or in unfamiliar areas. Use peripheral vision and observe everything that is going on around you. Teenagers in a group should be avoided because they tend to be more aggressive when in groups. Avoid carrying or displaying large sums of cash. If a robbery does occur do not antagonize the robber. The best advice when walking down the street: blend into the area, do not stand out. In Steel's words, "The chameleon doesn't advertise its presence but instead blends into its surroundings to avoid its natural predators."

Most people wish they would not have to worry at all about crime. Unfortunately, it can no longer be ignored. Law enforcement agencies are doing what they can to reduce crime. Ordinary citizens should do their part by learning and following crime prevention measures. That will not reduce crime, but it will reduce the chance of crossing paths with it.

Los Angeles Police Department Annual Report, 1995. Online.

(http://www.ci.la.ca.us./dept/lapd/report/gif/chart1.gif).

Steel, John. An Ounce of Prevention: the Urban Dwellers Guide to Being Safe. San Francisco:

Wrath & Ire, 1994.