From January till June of this year, the rate of violent crimes have increased. In the United States, violent crimes happen every 15 seconds and with a murder being committed somewhere every 20 minutes. The statistics shouldn’t be ignored, because becoming a victim of a gruesome crime is something that could very well happen to any one of us.

According to a police chief’s opinion in Los Angeles, crime is definitely on its way back. It seems to be prevalent in the youth of today – ones that have chosen to disassociate themselves from America’s mainstream. Teenagers, these days, seem to shoot the victims they rob even if the victims were handing over all of their valuables.

The crimes of today seem to contain some new elements:

1. Robbers, especially in the category of juveniles, have the tendency to shoot their victims more readily even when the victims show no resistance. Street codes, today, seem to be different – the crime is not considered a robbery unless someone has been shot.

2. Shootings that occur among gangs of youth seem now to be tied to “disrespect” rather than being related to drugs or a gang infringing upon the territory of another gang. Seven people happened to get shot all in the period of only 24 hours because some girlfriends of rival gangs got into an argument. This happened in Trenton, NJ.

3. It seems that shootings and robberies are on the rise among people of the same ethnic or racial minority. It was found that approximately 33% of Boston’s gun crimes happened to take place where minorities live.

Obviously, with robbery also on the increase, you want to make sure not to put yourself in harm’s way by not carrying any valuables or a large stash of cash! If you find that you are being confronted by a robber, always cooperate. You may wind up getting hurt if you put up any resistance.

So, how do you avoid becoming a victim? Here are some tips for females to lessen the chance of becoming sexually assaulted:

1. Have your cell phone with you and make sure that the police emergency number is preprogramed and ready to dial. By having a cell phone, it shows that you’re prepared, and criminals normally choose to stay away from prepared targets.

2. Instead of your full name, use only the initials of your first name on your mail box or in the telephone directory listing.

3. Make it a habit to have someone with you, if you have to go to the laundry room of your apartment complex or when finding your car in a parking garage. Some places have security guards.

4. You should never admit that you’re alone, if someone calls or knocks on your door.

5. If you need a ride home, don’t accept it from someone you just met.

6. Always look inside your vehicle before getting in. Once you’re in your car, immediately, lock the doors, start the engine, and leave the area.

You can never be too careful. Paying attention, trusting your instincts, and avoiding dangerous places are the basic strategies to remember. For women, it may be a good idea to take a self-defense course. By following the above tips, you may just be able to avoid being the next victim of violent crime!

Just by turning on the news, reading the newspaper, or surfing the web, you will most likely be bombarded by the latest robberies and homicides that happen all over the United States. Crime in the nation is the cause of more deaths and loss of property than all natural disasters combined. Every year more than 13 million people (5% of the U.S. population) are a victim of crime. Crimes that are violent in nature make up for over one and a half million of the 5%.

In 2005, 1.4 million home invasions occurred, with every year since continuing to rise. A home invasion is when the aggressors force their way into your home, apartment, and even hotel rooms to commit their robbery and other crimes. It is similar to a car jacking, but even more personal by taking place in your residential space. Home invasions usually take place at night and on the weekends when it is most likely victims are home. You may be targeted beforehand by living alone or your wealth. Once in your home, the greatest threat of violence is the first sixty seconds. Home invaders are usually equipped with rope, duct tape, and even firearms.

Home invasions are becoming more common besides carjacking. This way of burglary is growing because it is much easier and convenient for the invaders to strike at someone in their home and not have to deal with alarms and video cameras that they would encounter at restaurants and convenience stores. Some home invaders simply ring the home’s doorbell and if the homeowner opens, they have easy access. Other invaders just kick the door in. Once they have the owners under control, they will begin to pick through the belongings. Hopefully they will leave and not commit more crimes such as sexual assault or even murder.

The best defense on preventing crime, especially in your home is by educating yourself about various products and planning. You have to prepare if say this were to happen to you. How would you handle this situation? You can effectively prevent most cases if you and your family have the right safety defense plan. An easy way is to lock your doors, windows and garages at all times. If you would feel safer doing more than that, there are alarms, home video surveillance cameras, and even simpler items such as pepper sprays and mace.

Don’t forget to not let your guard down at any times. Keep some sort of self-defense items with you while you are not home. It is wise to have a cell phone on you in case of an emergency. Besides that, pepper sprays and mace are easy to carry and hide. A robber not always suspects you have it and will be surprised when you use it. If you really want to be safe, a taser might provide assistance. There is a big variety to choose from. Find one you can be comfortable with when handling.

As the population continues to expand, so will the cases of crimes. Being knowledgeable and prepared will help you and your loved ones avoid from being added to the nation’s statistics. Spread your knowledge along to others in hopes that for generations to come, crime will be a problem of the past.