Golden sunlit neighborhood with dog in street.

Creating a Safer Community

With the amount of crime going on today, it is imperative to ensure that you and your family stay safe. The moment when you don't even feel secure in your own home is when you know that measures need to be taken. There are many preventative measures one can take to make their community safer, especially in this day and age of technology and Amber Alerts. It becomes a whole lot easier to spread the word so that you and your neighbors are on the same page when it comes to the safety and security of your street. The following are a few ways to create a safer environment within your community.

Improve Street Lighting

Better street lighting can help reduce crime as it helps to increase surveillance and gives the impression of community investment. Many thefts and intruders are attracted to locations that won't catch them in the act i.e. dark places with minimal light. You can make sure that neighbors have their porch lights turned on at night to illuminate the street so that potential perpetrators don't feel a false sense of invisibility to commit their crimes. When a community has good lighting in the streets, it looks like people are very invested which does give off an impression that the people there may be a bit more vigilant.

Install Surveillance Cameras

In this age where technology seems to be the remedy of most crime, why not install cameras around the neighborhood? Businesses and stores have cameras almost everywhere even when the store is closed. It can be very helpful to install some Wireless Security Cameras to watch the community during the nights, holidays, or if neighbors go out of town. Many offenders like to go into communities or drive through a neighborhood several times to case a house. Casing a house is simply when a burglar watches a home and looks for patterns to decide the best time to break into the house. Some park a little way away from home and wait for the resident to be outside just to see where they may stash their spare key. Security cameras give you an advantage so that you can have eyes on them as well as potential evidence in case something does occur. According to one burglar interview, they recommend that homeowners make the security cameras visible as well so that the offender knows they are being watched.

Promote Outdoor Activities

There are many benefits of engaging socially with your neighbors other than increasing safety, such as building friendships and gaining a rapport of the people in your community. Neighborhood events create a social network and connection between all of the residents. You become more familiar with faces, which will come in handy if you or your neighbor sees someone that isn't familiar to the community so that they can be on high alert. A heavy people presence also impresses upon potential offenders that there is neighbor involvement which means it may be harder for them to commit a crime under the radar.

Close Blinds and Windows

Open blinds and windows are another way that burglars can case your house. It's almost like an open invitation to come inside. They can see some of the layout of the house as well as any merchandise they want to snag, making it easier for theft to occur. It is understandable that many people enjoy opening their blinds and windows for natural sunlight or to feel the wind, but people often forget to close all of their blinds and windows. Open windows also make for easier access into the home. So, make sure you close your blinds and windows before dark and notify your neighbors if they left theirs open. There is even an optimal blind positioning — it varies but blinds should be closed with slats up so that people can't see from the ground floor.

Looking out for your neighbors is something that many people should make a habit of as they place value in our lives as well. Safety is something everyone needs and can be improved by using some of these methods to make your community a lot safer.

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