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Common sense dictates us to lock our doors at night and when we are away from home, but residential crime prevention comes in many other shapes and sizes. Effective residential crime prevention depends on everything from properly fitted doors to stopping your mail delivery when away on vacation.

The Basics

Residential crime prevention starts with taking the proper steps to secure the outside of your home. Basic residential crime prevention measures include installing outside floodlights, keeping your yard clutter free, pruning shrubbery so it doesn't hide windows and doors and cutting tree limbs back from upper-level windows.

Not every intrusion can be prevented. Knowing what to do when faced with different situations not only protects your possessions but can save your life. Ask all service and delivery people for proper photo identification, do not enter your home if something looks questionable, such as a broken window, opened door, or slit screen and leave your home immediately if you suspect someone is breaking into your home, and if you can't leave safely, lock yourself in a room and call 911.

Doors and Locks

Burglars, on average, spend no more than 60 seconds trying to gain access to a home. Installing proper doors and locks on your home makes breaking in more difficult and often deters burglars. The following guidelines for doors and locks significantly improve residential crime prevention: install solid wood or metal doors, fit each exterior door with properly fitted dead bolts, do not rely on knob locks or door chains; they are easily broken, secure sliding glass doors with commercial grade locks or place a sturdy dowel in the door track and never hide keys around the outside of your home; instead give a spare to a trustworthy neighbor.

Alarm Systems

An alarm system installed in your home, especially if you live in a secluded area or high-crime neighborhood, can provide needed residential crime prevention. To achieve effective residential crime prevention, you first need to evaluate your home's needs. Your home's location and surroundings determine the level of residential crime prevention you need.