A Lifestyle Safety Checklist for Crime Prevention

The following is a list to help you gauge how well you have eliminated the likelihood of being a victim of crime from your daily life during your work or leisure time.

Around the House

Do you keep a list of emergency telephone numbers next to your home phone?
Do you lock all your external doors at all times even when you are within your house?
Does everybody in your house know they should ask for a picture identification before opening the door?
Do you make it a point to check the references of people who work in and outside your house?
Do you know where the local police stations are in your city?
Do you notify authorities when you will be absent from your house for an extended period of time?
Are you around when workers or repairmen enter your home?

Among Your Neighbors

Do your children know how to call 911 and get help from neighbors during an emergency?
Do you talk with your neighbors at least twice per month?
Do you have a buddy system established with one of your neighbors for keeping a watchful eye on your property? Have you told him to collect your mail and newspapers when you are gone?
Do you keep a key with a neighbor you can trust rather than having one stashed under a rock outside your house?
Do you partake in a Neighborhood Watch program?

Daily Personal Routine

Do you on occasion carry more than $250 in cash?
Do you practice boxing or any form of self defense?
Do you keep personal safety on your mind regularly?
Do you practice safety when operating power tools and other hazardous equipment?
Is your personal history void of any accidents or injuries?
Do you vary your daily activities every day?
Do you carry a cell phone?
Do you use ATM's during the daytime or in well-secured public areas?
Do you travel with other people on a regular basis or check in with somebody at home or the office when you travel?

Fire Safety Tips

Do you have an escape plan in the event of a fire?
Do you keep a fire extinguisher next to your stove or oven?
Are the batteries in your smoke detector checked regularly?
Do you keep matches and lighters out of reach from children?

Your Motor Vehicle

Do you make it a point to lock up your motor vehicle and close all the windows whenever you park?
Do you look into the back seat before you unlock and enter your motor vehicle?
When shopping, do you make an effort to park in well-lit areas of the parking lot and avoid shopping by yourself at night?
Do you lock your doors while driving?
Do you keep your car and house keys on separate key rings?

Sometimes our normal, everyday routines make us a focus for criminal activity. Following these simple tips of home security and personal safety can provide you with more protection from crime than purchasing an expensive burglar alarm system.

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