Coalition For Crime Prevention

	TAKE CHARGE: Change your habits to avoid looking like an easy target, says Steve Grinstead. How to avoid being a victim BY SYLVIA HOFFMIRE FOR THE SALISBURY POST Criminals choose victims. "Wouldn’t it be better if you were never picked?" In his opening remarks, Steve Grinstead, a representative of the Coalition for Crime Prevention, made it clear that he subscribes to the concept that women can take charge in matters of personal safety. With a rapid, often funny, delivery, Grinstead outlined methods of attack practiced by criminals and the process of anticipation women should employ to avoid danger. "I have to warn you in advance," he said, "that you must change your personal habits." He then asked everyone to point to someone who might be the next victim of crime. Only two women pointed to themselves. Grinstead’s exercise graphically underscored the lesson that most people think bad things happen to someone else. According to Grinstead, 80 percent of all crimes outside of domestic violence occur in parking lots. "Parking lots are the most dangerous place on God’s green earth other than a combat zone," he said. He urged women to follow some basic safety practices when parking: find a space near a light, preferably between the light and the store; look around the parking lot before unlocking the doors and getting out of the car to make sure no suspicious people are nearby; and lock the car doors before going shopping, even if it’s a quick run into a convenience store. A group of prison inmates interviewed recently to determine how they chose victims gave three criteria for their selection: a woman, a woman alone, a woman walking with her head down. Traveling in groups whenever possible forms a positive response to all three criteria, and maintaining a high level of alertness offsets the danger of isolation to a great degree. It amounts to a kind of defensive driving technique translated to the solitary pedestrian. When returning from the store to the car, women should know exactly where their car is, their purse should be in one of the bags containing their purchases, and they should have their keys in their hand. About 30 feet from her car, the woman should lean over to check underneath it and also under adjacent cars. A number of recent crimes against women have been perpetrated by men hiding under the victim’s car or the car beside it. Once safely in the car, all doors should be locked and remain locked while she is en route to her destination. As far as pocketbooks go, Grinstead recommends doing without if possible. The presence of a pocketbook sends a message that there’s money and goods to be had. "Purse snatching is the most common crime," he said, "but (a criminal) can’t steal what you don’t have." Grinstead favors liquid tear gas and pepper spray in a combined form for use as an effective weapon. According to him, mace is more likely to anger the criminal than it is to deter attack. He also offered tips on home protection. "Make people think you’re home," he said. And the first step is not to call the post office or the newspaper person to stop deliveries. "Unfortunately," Grinstead said, "there are a lot of dishonest people in the world." He recommended asking a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up the mail and the newspapers on a daily basis. He cautioned that the letters and newspapers should be placed in the house where they could not be seen through a window. While the friend or neighbor provided that service, he suggested that they take the time to turn lights on and off in different parts of the house at different times of the day if a timer was not providing that function. Grinstead also suggested the use of motion detector lights and recommended placing stickers on doors and windows to indicate the presence of an alarm system, whether one actually exists or not. Using common sense, appropriate caution, and the willingness to change personal habits for the sake of safety sums up Grinstead’s message. The women at the seminar seemed willing to hear it and heed it. Back to the top of the article

How to avoid being a victim