There are no universal standards to dictate how much security is sufficient for your home, nor should there be. The amount of security necessary to reasonably protect one’s domicile is determined by the level of threat in and around the area where that home is located. We will discuss this topic from two perspectives; private homes and apartment living.

 

The first step in determining how much security is sufficient is to determine the level of threat. The home owner should contact the local police jurisdiction and speak to a crime prevention officer, sometimes referred to as the community relations officer. Police agencies are able to track, by locale, all manner of criminal activity for the past several years. It is best to go back about three years. This information will give the home owner a sense for the kind of crime indigenous to the neighborhood as well as the frequency of criminal activity. Sometimes it is worth obtaining comparative statistical data for crime levels as a supplement to data from the local police department. That data can be ordered, in the form of a Crimecast Report, for under $200, from the CAP Index (www.capindex.com).

 

Next determine if the neighborhood participates in the Neighborhood Watch Program and if not consider starting this program through a cooperative effort between the neighbors and the local police.

 

Make your home a less likely target by maintaining good housekeeping on the outside. Homes that look like they are well kept up and lived in are less likely targets. Bushes and shrubs should be well trimmed and low cut in order to minimize places of concealment for the would-be perpetrator. When going on vacation, have a neighbor watch the home and pick up mail and newspapers. Do not assume that all burglaries occur under cover of darkness. Use inch and a half deadbolt locks on exterior doors and if there is an attached garage, always lock the connecting door. Double hung widows should be pinned, even when opened (two inch opening on ground floors).  Patio doors should be equipped with locking bars.

 

Now that you have taken these security precautions, do you need a home alarm system and if so how much protection is sufficient? If most of the homes in the neighborhood are equipped with home alarm systems, and your home is not, guess what? Your home would be considered a soft target. The odds for your home getting hit just went up. If you are considering an alarm system, talk to at least three alarm companies. Remember, all alarm companies are local. That means that even national companies are only as good as their local operation. Ask the police crime prevention officer about the performance of various companies, such as their false alarm rate.

 

If you decide that a home security system is for you, and you have found a reputable vendor, you must then decide home much protection is enough. The most effective components of your home security system are the yard sign and the window stickers. At the least every exterior door should be protected, including the door to the attached garage. The question then becomes do you protect each window with an alarm sensor? This option drives the cost of the system up considerably and you may feel like a prisoner in your own home. However, if your home contains high value jewelry, works of art, etc., more extraordinary protection may be justified. Generally if the perimeter door alarms are backed up with a modest motion detection system, the security system will usually be adequate. These involve individual choices. Finally, you should fully understand how the alarm system is monitored and what security is applied to the method of transmission of the alarm system should someone try to defeat the signal transmission.

 

Other additions such as motion activated exterior lights provide an inexpensive deterrent. Oftentimes a barking dog is an effective, yet inexpensive security device.

 

When renting an apartment, most of the responsibility for security falls on the owner and the management company. If you are single women, choose an apartment that is not on the ground floor. The housekeeping and grounds maintenance can be a very important indicator for how safe the complex is. Well kept, immaculate properties that are well lit at night tend to be safer. The same neighborhood check advocated in the previous section applies to apartment dwelling.

 

Parking is another important consideration. Underground secured parking is best if well lighted. The closer your assigned parking space is to your unit, the better. Parking areas and grounds should be adequately lit at night and that lighting must be maintained. Burned out lights are not a good sign. When considering a move to an apartment complex, visit the complex at night.

 

Check access to the complex from the surrounding neighborhood. Are there natural or manmade barriers to discourage unauthorized access? Is the perimeter of the property walled or fenced. Gated communities may offer more security if access is reasonably controlled. If there is graffiti on any structures within the general area, consider looking elsewhere. If the complex employs a guard company, make sure you understand how many officers are on duty, their hours of coverage, and how they may be summoned.

 

Make sure that the main entrance door is equipped with a dead bolt lock and a peephole. Make sure the management company certifies that the lock has been rekeyed since the last tenant has vacated.  Make sure all sliding glass doors are equipped with track bar locks.

 

Satisfy yourself that common areas are safe such as pools, laundry rooms and recreation facilities. Ensure yourself that where there are common are lobbies; those lobbies are properly access controlled. Look for intercom systems and closed circuit television camera coverage.

 

For more specific quest, contact SSO for the answers.