This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Let’s face it – the chance of you actually needing to wear a kevlar vest (unless you’re in law enforcement) are very small. Though handgun crimes are common in certain areas, the average person has an extremely low chance of needing bullet protection. However, some people like the peace of mind offered by a bulletproof kevlar vest. If you’re in the market, here are a few tips for choosing the vest that’s right for you.

Protection Level
The main factor that you’ll probably want to consider is the level of protection that you want out of your kevlar vest.  Though a higher level offers better protection, it can also be much heavier and more difficult to conceal compared to some other types of vests. Also, you have to take into consideration what types of calibers you would like protection from. For example, the .22 rifle bullet is common, but most situations involving gunfire might be more likely to involve handguns than rifles. The protection levels are:

Level I
This type of vest is lightweight and easy to conceal. However, it also only has a low level of stopping power. It can stop .22 rifle bullets (with an impact velocity of less than 1,050), 38 special rounds, .25 handgun rounds and .32 handgun rounds.

Level IIA
This level of protection can take an impact from .45 automatic rounds, 38 special +P rounds, 9mm rounds and 357 Magnum rounds.

Level II
This vest is designed to withstand 357 Magnum rounds  and 9mm rounds with a higher velocity.

Level IIIA
The Level IIIA vest protection level can withstand 9mm rounds that have a full metal jackets, which have a high impact velocity. It can also withstand most handgun rounds, as well as .44 Magnum rounds.

Level III
This level of protection is designed mostly for protection against high-powered rifle rounds, such as 7.62mm round with full metal jackets. It can also protect against 30 Carbine FMJ bullets, and 12 gauge rifled slugs.

Level IV
You’ll only need this level of protection from a bulletproof vest if you are seeking protection from armor-piercing rounds. This vest will help take the impact of 30 caliber armor-piercing bullets, as long as they have a nominal mass of 10.8 grams.

Disclaimer – These protection levels are meant as a basic guideline only. Other factors, such as the distance between the vest and gun, or the angle of the bullet could affect how much protection each vest offers. 

Making Your Decision

If you’re simply purchasing a bulletproof vest for peace of mind, you’ll probably be safe with buying a vest that offers protection from the most common caliber bullets. If you want to be able to easily conceal your vest, you’ll probably be purchasing one of the lower-level protection vests, since they’re lighter and less bulky. Some kevlar bulletproof vests are specially designed so that they can be worn underneath clothing without being conspicuous.

In the end, it comes down to your specific reasons for purchasing a bulletproof vest, and which factors are important to you. As stated before, the chances of an average person needing protection from gunfire are extremely low. However, if you have the extra money, and would like some “peace of mind” insurance, a kevlar vest might be the best option for your personal security.

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You’re walking down a deserted city street, on your way back to the parking garage to pick up your car. The dim light of the streetlamps casts everything in an eerie, surreal glow. You approach the entrance of the parking garage, and you see a man simply standing there, smoking a cigarette. As you get closer, you can make out his facial features. Do you run? Does he look dangerous? Are you looking at a potential criminal?

The idea that we may be able to identify a criminal on sight isn’t new. However, it has faced a lot of skepticism from many people, due to the fact that many people unfairly categorize others based on their appearance. Some people argue that we may mistrust someone unfairly based on their appearance, or improperly label someone as a potential criminal.

To explore these arguments, researchers at Cornell University conducted an extensive study. They gathered photos of Caucasian males, half of which were convicted criminals, and half of which were not. The photos were all on a white background, and all of the men did not have excessive facial hair. The photos were also carefully selected to not have identifying features such as attractiveness and display of emotion. All of the criminal photos were of men that were on their first conviction. Also, roughly half of these men had committed violent crimes, and half had committed a nonviolent crime.

Results of the Study

The conclusion that the researchers reached from the study was that – Yes, we can identify criminals on sight. According to one of the researches that was involved in the project: ”In two experiments, subjects were able to distinguish between criminals and noncriminals by rating each photo we presented to them”.

The participants were asked to rate each photo on a scale of 1 to 7, on how likely they thought that it was that each man had committed a crime. The results unveiled a surprising trend – all of the criminal photos were rated as being much more likely to have committed a crime.

However, the study also identified many other interesting trends, which may explain more about criminal psychology. For example, women in the study had a lot more trouble correctly identifying men who were rapists. According to the researchers, this may be because rapists spend more time trying to make themselves appear approachable and non-threatening.

Reactions

Interestingly enough, reactions to this study have been mixed, especially among people who strongly disagree with the “Born Criminal” psychological theory. Many people don’t want to believe that criminals could be identified simply on sight, since this would go against many of the other studies that “proved” otherwise.

What Can We Learn?

As with any study, it’s important to look at this information from an objective standpoint. Basically, what it comes down to, is – Trust your Gut. While you may not always be avoiding a potential criminal, it still pays to be cautious, especially with people that you don’t know. However, it’s also important not to fall victim to paranoia. Use common sense, and always exercise caution around strangers.

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The FBI recently released 2009’s crime statistics, and for the seventh consecutive year, the number of property crimes in the United States declined. The number of violent crimes also decreased for the third year in a row.

Highlights of the Facts and Figures

• Violent crime decreased across the United States by 5.3%. Murder declined 7.3%, robbery 8.0%, aggravated assault 4.2% and forcible rape 2.6%.
• Property crimes dropped by 4.6%. Within the property crimes category, vehicle theft decreased by 17.1%, larceny by 4% and burglary by 1.3%.
• The estimated total loss from property crimes in 2009 amounted to $15.2 billion.

Burglary Statistics

• 9,320,971 property crimes were reported across the nation. Of this number of property crimes, 23.6% were burglaries.
• There were 2,199,125 burglaries throughout the year. This is only a 1.3% decrease from 2008.
• 61% of the burglaries in the United States were forcible entry. 32.6% of burglaries occurred without force and 6.5% involved burglary attempts through forcible entry.
• Nationwide, the loss of property from burglary amounted to $4.6 billion.
• On average, each burglary victim suffered a loss of $2,096.
• Regionally, the South had the most property crimes (43.9%). The West came in second (22.7%) with the Midwest close behind (20.8%). The Northeast had the fewest property crimes committed (12.6%).
• 12.5% of burglaries were cleared by arrest or exceptional means.

Automobile Theft

• Across the nation, there were an estimated 794,616 automobile thefts.
• Compared to 2008, the number of stolen automobiles decreased by 17.1%.
• On average $6,505 is lost per stolen vehicle. Nationwide, automobile theft cost $5.2 billion.
• 12.4% of vehicle thefts were cleared by arrest or exceptional means.

Crime Clock

• A burglary occurs every 14.3 seconds.
• A vehicle is stolen every 39.7 seconds.
• Robbery happens every 1.3 minutes.
• Aggravated Assault occurs every 39.1 seconds.
• Somebody is murdered every 34.5 minutes.

With the economy taking a turn for the worse, some people are worried that crimes will stop decreasing and will instead increase nationwide. A criminologist at Northeastern University, James Alan Fox, summarized why the economy effects crime. He said, “There is a connection between the economy and crime rates, but it’s not that when the economy is bad, people go out and commit crime. When the economy is bad, there are budge cuts. Less is spent on youth crime prevention and crime control on the street.” So far, police budgets have been cut by 10% per capita.

Sources:

http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel10/ucr2009_091310.htm

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/about/crime_clock.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ilVP2h1npd9Ma4TDw6o4plHxv7zQD9I73HG00

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/70133/FBI-Says-Violent-Crime-In-US-Fell-Again-Last-Year.html

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This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Many news stations feature stories about the victims of criminal activities. Often, you see a tearful woman, asking questions such as “Why were we the victims?” and “Why did he do it?”. The answers to these questions are often unclear, as there are many motives that could potentially cause a person to commit a crime. A field of study, called “criminal anthropology”, attempts to provide a few explanations that could potentially shed light on the reasons behind criminal behavior.

What is Criminal Anthropology?

Criminal anthropology (also sometimes called anthropological criminology) is technically a type of “offender profiling” that makes connections between behavior, the nature of a crime, instincts, physical appearance and other traits. It mostly refers to the Italian school of criminology, which was developed in the late 19th century. One of the key concepts often associated with criminal anthropology is to evaluate a criminal without regard to social conditions or current social structures. In early criminal anthropology, the idea of a “born criminal” was also introduced, which suggested that becoming a criminal is a personality trait rather than a learned behavior.

The History of Criminal Anthropology

It’s difficult to track the actual history of criminal anthropolgy, since it’s a combination of many theories and studies. However, a man named Johann Kaspar Lavater was the first to suggest that there was a link between criminals and their facial structure. The Italian school of criminology is currently the most common association with today’s definition of criminal anthropology.

Darwinism and Moral Superiority

Some of the early theories about criminal anthropology relied on Social Darwinism to evaluate some aspects of criminal behavior. Some arguments were based off of a loose interpretation of Darwin’s theory of evolution. This interpretation speculated that certain species possessed “moral superiority” over other species.

Early Theory

Cesare Lombroso released a study where he claimed to have discovered an association with the physiology of the “criminal body” and that of primates. From this study, Lombroso decided that there were fourteen different physical characteristics that defined a criminal. These characteristics included:

• Unusually Short or Tall
• Small or Weak Chin
• Large, Protruding Ears
• Receding Hairline
• Bushy Eyebrows
• Large Incisors
• Bodily Tattoos
• Protuberances on the head area and around ears
• Thin Upper Lip, but Fleshy Lips
• Sloping Shoulders but Large Chest

Current Theory

The early theories about certain physical characteristics were mostly rejected, and today’s criminal profiling doesn’t follow Lombroso’s “14 Criminal Characteristics”. However, criminal anthropology does still play a role in modern criminal profiling. In most cases, criminal anthropology is combined with forensic psychology and social psychology to create detailed studies. For example, an interesting study was released that found that when one identical twin had criminal tendencies, the other twin also engaged in criminal activities. This similarity was much more pronounced than in non-identical twins.

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In early 2005, three men lived quietly in Trousdale County, Tennessee. They were polite, if a little bit antisocial, preferring not to spend much time associating with their neighbors, and frequently traveling out of town. They owned a beautiful A-Frame house, complete with an elaborate entrance gate that had an intercom system. From outside, the $1 million dollar house appeared to be the ideal vacation home, with stylish swooping angles and large picture windows. However, this gorgeous house hid a deeper purpose for these three men, who had carefully planned and executed one of the largest marijuana growing operations that Tennessee has ever seen.

Meet the Mastermind

Fred Strunk (Age 63) was the undisputed mastermind behind the Tennessee growing operation, which had allowed him to live a luxurious and lavish lifestyle. He owned several expensive sports cars, also purchasing exquisite homes in both Florida and Tennessee. Over the years, Fred Strunk had been known by many other names, including Jerry R. West, Fred E. Grant and Fred E. Fox. He had many copies of false identification papers, which were designed to allow him to disappear from the police radar if needed.

The Raid

Fred Strunk, Greg Compton and Brian Gibson were arrested in December of 2005 by Tennessee police, after reports of suspicious activity. Police raided the beautiful $1 million dollar house, which was located on a country road in the middle of the woods. To their surprise, once they entered the home, they found it to be completely bare, lacking any furniture, appliances and even curtains.

Like a scene out of a Hollywood movie, the police discovered a hidden door that was located in the garage. This door led down into a network of caves, which was over 250 feet long (which is almost the length of a full football field). These caverns were elaborately furnished with living quarters, showers, offices, and a huge area where over 1,000 marijuana plants were being grown. Needless to say, the police were shocked at the sophistication of this operation.

This is a photo of the hydraulic-operated door that was concealed behind a hidden panel in the garage.

How They Did It

Later, the details about the underground marijuana growing operation run by the three men began to surface. Apparently, their growing facility was able to generate from 12 to 14 “crops” per year, with each crop being valued at approximately $500,000. This means that each year, these three men were making from $6 to $8 million dollars!

In order to process such a large crop, the men had to enlist outside help to package their product for distribution. For this, they hired a half-dozen Hispanic workers from Arizona, and picked them up in a van with covered windows. When the van neared Tennessee, the workers would be required to put on blindfolds, and then led into the underground cave. Once there, the blindfolds were removed, and they were allowed to begin working on harvesting the marijuana.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that none of the men that were involved in the operation actually lived in Tennessee. In fact, they didn’t even sell their marijuana in Trousdale county, as they (correctly) assumed that this might cause suspicion. Instead, police investigators believe that they took their crop to other cities, perhaps including Nashville, which was 40 miles away from their location.

The Growing Facility

The method used to grow the marijuana relied on a hydroponic system, which is pictured here. This system was sophisticated enough to make maintaining the crops easier throughout their growth.

There were two separate areas that were used to grow the marijuana plants. One of these areas held from 500 to 600 immature plants, which were irrigated by long pipes with small holes for easy watering. This watering system also made the operation much more manageable for the three men.

The second area held maturing plants, which were nearing the age where they could be harvested. From 500 to 600 plants were usually kept inside of this room, with some of the plants being over six feet tall. After the mature plants were harvested, their buckets were re-used for immature plants.

The sophisticated light and climate control system kept the growing areas at 87 degrees, which allowed the plants to mature and grow much faster then they would in an outdoor environment. Every eight weeks, this facility was able to grow over 100 pounds of marijuana.

Beyond the growing plants there was a work area, which was most likely used for harvesting, processing and packaging the marijuana plants.

The Escape Route

In order to prevent becoming bottlenecked in the cave in the event of a raid, the underground facility was also equipped with an escape tunnel. This tunnel began in one of the growing areas, and had a pull-down ladder that could be easily concealed. The entrance hatch to the tunnel was painted to match the ceiling, providing further concealment, and possibly buying valuable time to escape. The tunnel itself ran over 150 yards, ending over 100 yards from the house. The exit hatch was cleverly concealed underneath a rock, which had a hydraulic opening system.

So, How Were They Caught?

Information on how this operation was finally busted by police is subject to a bit of vague information. By the released news reports and other information, it appears that the electrical requirements of the underground facility were drawing attention to the site. However, it was also because these men had done something desperate – they had been stealing massive amounts of power from the electrical grid.

Though the three men had requested the installation of a large transformer (much larger than usually required by a residence) when they were building the home, they discovered that it was not enough. Faced with the increasing power demand of their growing operation, the men decided that they needed to acquire more electricity. They decided against requesting more electricity from the power company, since this would raise suspicions. Also, downsizing their operation to require less power was not an appealing option. So, the men decided to splice directly into the power grid, and begin siphoning power in order to run their growing lights and climate control system.

Needless to say, the power company eventually discovered their illegal splices, after they caused a fluctuation in the area’s power grid.

An official representative from the power company approached the residence, attempting to ring in by the intercom at the front gate. When no one answered, the official slipped over the gate, and began searching around the property. He glanced in the windows, and was shocked by the lack of furniture. For all intents and purposes, the house appeared to be completely empty. Suddenly, a man emerged from the woods behind him, carrying a shotgun. The man warned the official that he needed to leave the property immediately. Suspicious, the electric company official alerted police.

Other Information

Some information that was provided (from informal or un-backed sources) says that a short time before the three men were arrested, one of their neighbors was found dead. Some officials believe that the escape hatch came out near (or on) the neighbor’s property, and he had a fatal encounter with one of the marijuana growers. Also, around the same time, two immigrant workers were allegedly found dead in outlying properties, which could have been the marijuana growers taking care of “loose ends”.

The Burning of the House

In December of 2006 (one year after the three men were arrested), the beautiful A-frame house that had housed the marijuana growing operation burned to the ground. Since there was another building that burned down around the same time in a different part of town, the cause was immediately thought to be arson. Both buildings were unoccupied at the time of the fires.

The Conviction

When it came to the trial, both Brian Gibson and Greg Compton decided to testify against Fred, who was the “brains” of the operation. Knowing he had been caught, Fred Strunk pleaded guilty to 3 counts of the the 17-count indictment (manufacturing 500+ marijuana plants, theft and money laundering). At 63 years old, Strunk was sentenced to serve a maximum of 18 years in state prison. However, since Strunk did not have a previous criminal record, he could potentially be released after serving 30% of his sentence (depending on his prison record), which would be at the age of 70. Strunk was also sentenced to 12 years for money laundering and theft.

The fines for Fred Strunk were $4,000, with him also being required to pay Tri-County Electric a sum of $60,001 for the electricity that he had stolen.

[Editor's note: I first saw pictures of this home and story on Reddit.com and found a link in a comment by the submitter that led to the sources of the story listed below. Not all facts may be entirely accurate, but this was a fantastic story regardless. I hope you enjoyed it!]

Sources:

http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin19.htm#palace

http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin19.htm

All photos taken from http://www.ssqq.com/archive/vinlin19.htm

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Criminal psychology is a subject that has been covered in thousands of books, articles, studies and media publications. The subject itself is so large, that it’s nearly impossible to cover it in its entirety. However, in relation to home security, understanding some aspects of criminal psychology can help you to protect your home and family against criminals. The motivating factors in many crimes are fairly basic, relying on a certain mindset, or specific circumstances.

So, let’s evaluate a much more fundamental question – What Causes People to Steal? Of course, there are hundreds of different factors that could contribute to theft, but for our purposes, we should focus on some of the basic causes. Though each of these causes will not necessarily always lead to a theft, each should be recognized as a possible contributing factor.

Opportunity
The phrase “crime of opportunity” does have a basis in actual statistics. When a person sees an opportunity to commit a crime and gain an instant reward (such as a laptop sitting on the seat of a locked car), the chances increase that they will take that opportunity. Now, this isn’t to say that every time a person sees an opportunity commit a crime, that they will do it – it should simply be regarded as a contributing factor.

What You Can Do
To reduce the chances of being the victim of a “crime of opportunity”, it’s important to be mindful of your valuables at all times. Never leave laptops, GPS devices, smartphones or other valuable items in plain sight inside your vehicle. Always keep the windows of your residence closed and locked when you are not at home.

Poverty
Many people believe that crime rates are affected by the state of the economy. In our post, “Do Crime Rates Increase During Hard Economic Times?“, this topic was explored a bit more in-depth. However, a person’s level of poverty can have an influential effect on how likely they are to commit a crime. For example, if a man is having trouble making enough money to feed his family, he may resort to crime as an attempt to provide for them. If an individual has fallen on hard economic times, they may see theft as an easy way to make some quick cash.

What You Can Do
The best way to prevent crimes of this sort is to choose a home that is located in a low-crime, stable economic area. However, it’s still not possible to prevent poverty-related crimes completely. Take some time to volunteer in your community, which can have the added effect of improving the quality of life within your neighborhood. Neighborhood watch programs, community food banks and ‘time banking’ systems are all great programs to become involved in.

Anonymity
One of the most commonly cited factors that influences the likelihood that a person will commit a crime is anonymity. When an individual believes that they can commit a crime without getting caught, they are much more likely to steal. The fear of being exposed during a criminal act may be the sole factor that prevents a person from committing a crime.

What You Can Do
It is entirely possible to use the fear of being caught as a defensive tool against potential criminals. Install monitored security cameras around your home in visible locations (or dummy cameras, if you’re on a budget). If you have a monitored security system, place signs around your property alerting of your protected status. Adopt and train a guard dog to bark at any intruders on the property surrounding your home.

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Espionage has been a popular subject for thrilling novels, action-packed movies and even hobbyists who advocate “spy culture”. The history of espionage is  quite expansive, dating back thousands of years. Here are three famous accounts of espionage which altered the course of history.

1st Century BC

A painting depicting the day Julius Caesar was assassinated.

During the reign of Julius Caesar, there were several aristocrats who were unhappy being subjected to Caesar’s rule. These men named themselves the “Liberators”, and began to plot to assassinate Julius Caesar when he was scheduled to sit in the Senate. These plans were not successfully kept secret, however. It’s rumored that Caesar’s wife, his friends and even his physicians warned him against attending the Senate that day. It was eventually Brutus (one of the secret Liberator leaders) who mocked Caesar, convincing him to attend the Senate.

The day before the scheduled assassination, Caesar’s cousin Marc Antony came upon intelligence which revealed the assassination plot. This intelligence was given by a defected member of the Liberators, who had decided to spy for Caesar’s sake. However, Marc Antony wasn’t able to intercept Caesar in time, and Julius Caesar was assassinated the next day. Had the intelligence regarding the assassination been provided by the Liberator spy sooner, Rome’s history may have been quite different.

The Elizabethan Era (1558-1663)

Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's "spymaster".

In Elizabethan England, there was a daring young man who is today referred to as the “spymaster”. His name was Sir Francis Walsingham, and he was an espionage agent for Queen Elizabeth I of England. Today, he is recognized as one of the earliest documented spies. He organized secret missions to spy on the Spanish military, thwarted several high-profile plots against the Queen, and even was responsible for the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots for treason against the crown. It could even be said that Francis Walsingham helped establish England as a powerful country, and as a beneficial contributor to the global economy. On December 1st, 1577, Walsingham was granted a knighthood for his services. Even after his death in 1890, Sir Francis Walsingham was recognized as being an important contributor to the progress of the Elizabethan Era.

American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)

Nathan Hale, America's first spy.

The most famous spy during the American Revolution was named Nathan Hale. Nathan Hale is today regarded as America’s first spy, and his espionage expertise was invaluable to the Continental Army. His espionage work truly began in 1776, when he volunteered to go behind enemy lines during the “Battle of Long Island”. This was significant because the British army had a strict policy – any spy from the Continental army that was caught, was immediately executed.

Nathan Hale reported on British troop movements, which gave valuable information to the Continental Army. However, his cover was allegedly blown when he was recognized (while in a pub) by Robert Rogers, the leader of the famous “Rogers’ Rangers” for the British Army. He was apprehended, questioned and scheduled to be hanged. While standing on the hangman’s platform, Nathan Hale is famous for perhaps uttering the famous quote:

“I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”

Sources:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Sir_Francis_Walsingham_by_John_De_Critz_the_Elder.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2002/144/6126929_1022370181.jpg

http://imagecache6.allposters.com/LRG/29/2927/ZQ9RD00Z.jpg

http://www.tomatoproductions.com/man_shadow1.jpg

This post is originally authored at the home security blog at FamilyHomeSecurity.com.

Communities everywhere are seeing an increase in theft or robbery. Some say that these increases in crime are because of poor economic conditions. How is the state of the economy connected to crime rates? Does crime really increase in periods of recession, or is it simply a myth?

Signs of a Tough Economy

There are several indicating factors that can signal an economic downturn. In most cases, this includes:

• Decrease in Property Values
• High Unemployment Rates
• Stock Market Crash
• Job Cuts
• High Rate of Home Foreclosures
• Increased Number of Bankruptcy Filings

Theory: Bad Economy = More Crime

A lot of people believe that when money is tight, people are more likely to resort to desperate measures. Unfortunately, some of those who are unemployed, and struggling to feed their families, may turn to burglary or theft in order to keep up with their expenses.

An independent research study conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum reported that in January of 2010, 44% of police departments believed that they were seeing an increase in crimes that were directly related to the poor state of the economy. Other reported statistics from this study included:

• 40% increase in theft
• 32% of departments surveyed had an increase in burglaries
• 39% of departments surveyed had an increase in robberies

Many of these crimes are “opportunistic” crimes, such as the theft of GPS devices from vehicles.

However, the increase might not only be caused by personal financial hardship. Since many areas of a community experience cutbacks during hard economic times, many police agencies are also being hit with cuts. Budgets for police stations are being cut nationwide, with the same study reporting that 63% of agencies reporting that they believed that their funding would be cut further within a year. With the lack of a good budget, police agencies aren’t able to respond as efficiently to prevent crime. This also may cause a decrease in patrols, which could also be construed to contribute to higher crime.

Theory: Economic Conditions Have No (or Very Little) Impact on Crime

Some people believe that the economic situation does not affect the overall crime rate in a community. Many advocates of this theory point to the Great Depression, which had a relatively low crime rate. By comparison, the “Roaring 20′s”, which were a period of perceived economic prosperity, had a relatively high crime rate. According to David Kennedy from John Jay Criminal Studies, the same pattern occurred in the 50′s and 60′s – an expanding economy, but higher crime rates.

What do you think?

It’s hard to say which side is right in this debate. Since the current recession is still in progress, it’s hard to tell what projected crime rates would have been in a good economy, compared to what they are currently.

Statistics are one thing, but it’s personal experiences that really speak volumes about the true nature of crime. How about you? Have you seen an increase in crime in your neighborhood during tough economic times? Or, has your community become closer in a bad economy, resulting in a lower crime rate?

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