Center for the Administration of Justice

Center for the Administration of Justice
Florida International University
Modesto A. Maidique Campus
MARC 330
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199
Tel: (305)348-5952
Fax: (305)348-4700
Email: caj@fiu.edu

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Home › Hispanic Crime Prevention Program › Crimes Against Persons

Crimes Against Persons

Auto Theft

How to Prevent Motor Vehicle Theft

When you park your car, close the windows, lock the doors and take the key with you.
If you must leave a key with a parking attendant, leave only your vehicle's ignition key.
Install and use anti-theft devices, whether an alarm or a protective device like a club or a collar. Be sure to activate the device every time you leave your vehicle.
Park only in well-lighted areas near other vehicles.
Keep valuables out of sight, preferably locked away in the trunk.
Don't hide a spare key in a magnetic key box; thieves know all the hiding places.
At home, if possible, put your car away in a locked garage, or at least parked in the driveway.
If you have two cars and one of them is easy to break into, then park it in your driveway so it's blocked by the other car.
When you park your car, turn the front wheels to the left or right and put the emergency brake on. This locks the wheels, making it difficult for a thief to tow your car.

Source: Originally developed by the from Burlington Police Crime Prevention Files
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Automated Teller Machine Crime

How To Protect Yourself While Using An Automated Teller Machine (ATM)

Try to avoid using an ATM by yourself. Either take someone with you or only use an ATM when others are around.
If possible, avoid using an ATM after dark. If you must, choose one that is well lighted and does not have tall bushes nearby.
When you arrive at an ATM, look around. If you see anything that makes you uncomfortable or anyone who looks suspicious, do not stop. Either use an ATM at a different location or come back later. Notify the authorities.
Have your access card and any other documents you need ready when you approach an ATM. While you are fumbling with a wallet or purse, you are easy game for a thief.
If someone else is using the ATM when you arrive, avoid standing right behind them. Give them enough space to conduct their transaction in privacy.
Even while using the ATM, stay alert to your surroundings. Look up and around every few seconds while transacting your business.
Protect your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Do not enter your PIN if anyone else can see the screen. Shield your PIN from onlookers by using your body.
When your transaction is finished, be sure you have your card and your receipt, then leave immediately. Avoid counting or otherwise displaying large amounts of cash.
As you leave, keep a look out. Be alert for anything or anyone who appears suspicious. If you think you are being followed, go to an area with a lot of people and call the police.

Source: Originally developed by the Florida Attorney General's Office
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Burglaries: How to Prevent a Home Burglary

How to Prevent a Home Burglary

Invest in solid doors and good quality locks on doors and windows. This includes on all sliding glass doors as well. Make it not only difficult but also time consuming for a burglar to gain entry.
Whenever you go outside, lock the door and take the key with you, even if you are just stepping next door or out mowing the back yard.
Don't put valuables where they can be seen from the window, especially items that can be easily carried.
Be sure your garage door can be secured. Do not leave it open when you are away; an empty garage broadcasts your absence.
When you aren't home, use a timer set to turn interior lights on and off at varying intervals as though your home was still occupied.
Don't keep large amounts of cash or really valuable jewelry around the house.
If someone comes to your door asking to use the telephone, make the call yourself. Don't invite them in.
Don't hide a spare key under the door mat or under a flower pot. Thieves know all the good hiding places.
Plant thorny bushes under all windows. Trim back any trees or shrubs near doors and windows to eliminate hiding places for would-be theives.
Invest in a good security system along with motion sensor lights installed out of reach
Don't leave ladders outside. Keep any tools that could be used to break in your home safely locked away in a garage or shed.
Get a barking dog or "beware of dog" signs. If you own a dog and go out of town, have someone come in and care for your dog in your home.
Always double check doors at night and lock all windows.
Engrave all valuables such as stereos, microwaves, videocameras, with your driver's license number. (Engraving tools are usually available through your local law enforcement agency.) Videotape the contents of your home. Keep the video and the list of all valuables in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box.

Keep doors locked and windows shut.
Don't stop to assist a disabled motorist. Instead contact a service station or police.
When stopped at a light, leave enough room between you and the car in front that you could make an escape.
Be suspicious of anyone approaching the car with fliers, asking for change or directions. Be ready to leave carefully, even if it means running a red light or stop sign.
While driving, if struck from behind or in any suspicious way, stay in your vehicle with the doors locked and windows closed until the police arrive. Activate your vehicle's emergency flashers.
If you're very suspicious, get the other vehicle's license number and drive to the nearest police station or a well-lighted area with lots of people.
If you think you are being followed, drive immediately to an area with lots of lights and people. If possible, drive to the nearest law enforcement office.
Obtain and use a cellular phone to call for help. In Florida, dialing *FHP anywhere in the state from a cellular phone will connect you with the nearest Florida Highway Patrol station.

Source: Originally developed by the Florida Attorney General's Office
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Drunk Driving

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

National Office
511 E. John Carpenter Frwy., #700
Irving, Texas 75062

Email: info@madd.org
When sending email, please include your State, and County, so that we may better respond to your inquiry.

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Mission Statement
The mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is to stop drunk driving and to support the victims of this violent crime.

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What is MADD?

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, grass roots organization with more than 400 chapters nationwide. MADD is not a crusade against alcohol consumption. Our focus is to look for effective solutions to the drunk driving and underage drinking problems, while supporting those who have already experienced the pain of these senseless crimes.

Crash vs Accidents

Those injured and killed in drunk driving collisions are not "accident" victims. The crash caused by an impaired driver involves two choices: to drink AND to drive. The deaths and injuries caused each year by impaired driving can be prevented ... they are not "accidental."

How do my Contributions Help MADD?

Public Awareness

Community programs such as the Project MADD Ribbon "Show Your Support" campaign, and the Designated Driver program heighten awareness to the dangers of impaired driving. Operation Prom/Graduation, MADD's Poster/Essay Contest, TeamSpirit, and Teen Court are among MADD's youth programs designed to address underage drinking. MADD volunteers recruit media support and offer Speakers Bureaus for civic groups and schools. MADD in Action, MADD's national newsletter, is sent to members and supporters to inform them about the drunk driving issues being addressed. Many state and local newsletters are also produced.

Victims Services

Bereaved families and injured victims of drunk driving crashes may call MADD's Victim Hotline, 800-GET-MADD, where trained staff will provide immediate emotional support and guidance through the criminal justice system. MADD will direct victims to their nearest local chapter for one-to-one assistance. Many chapters offer victim support groups. MADD offers a range of victim support literature provided free to victims and their families. The MADDvocate is a magazine produced twice a year for drunk driving victims and advocates. Candlelight vigils are held annually nationwide to allow victims to share their pain and grief with others who have suffered due to drunk driving.

Legislation

MADD activists are working to strengthen existing laws and to adopt new ones. Programs such as "Rating the States," to assess the nation's and each state's attention to impaired driving, and "National Sobriety Checkpoint Week" have raised public awareness and progress toward solutions to the drunk driving problem. Impaired Driving Issues Workshops provide valuable training and materials on effective DUI/DWI countermeasures to activists, law enforcement, judges, government officials, and legislators.

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Find out more about MADD by selecting any of the topics below:

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Related Sites:

MADD Chapters

MADD, North Carolina
MADD, Northwest Louisiana at TraumaNET

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Garage: Protect Yourself in a Garage

How to Protect Yourself in a Parking Garage

If you must leave a key with a parking attendant, leave only your vehicle's ignition key. Do not leave anything attached to it with your name and address.
Don't park next to a van's sliding door.
Change from high heels to low flats or even sneakers when leaving work. They are better to run in.
At night, leave your office or building in the company of others. Don't leave alone after dark. If possible, have someone from your building security escort you, or call for police assistance.
Approach your vehicle with your keys already in your hand.
Look around your vehicle for any suspicious activity. If you see someone loitering around your vehicle, walk past until they leave.
Do a quick scan of your vehicle's interior before unlocking the door. Be sure to look in the back seat.
Keep your doors locked and your windows shut.
Be suspicious of anyone approaching your vehicle, whether passing out leaflets or asking for donations. Always leave the car windows up.

Source: Originally developed by the Florida Attorney General's Office
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Mail: Protecting Your Mail Against Thieves

How to Protect Your Mail from Thieves

Every day, the U. S. Postal Service works hard to deliver efficiently and safely millions of checks, money orders, credit cards, and other valuable items. Unfortunately, thieves know this and are waiting to steal your mail. With mail deliveries to be made to well over 100 million addresses across the nation, the Postal Inspection Service cannot be everywhere to protect your mail.

To make it harder for thieves to steal your mail:

Never send cash or coins in the mail. Use checks or money orders.
Make sure your mailbox is secured and in good condition. Your postmaster can tell you how to improve your mailbox's condition.
Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after delivery, especially if you are expecting checks, credit cards, food coupons, and other negotiable items. If you will not be home when valuable items are expected, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your mail.
Have your local post office hold your mail while you are on vacation or absent from your home for a long period of time.
If you do not receive a check, food coupon or other valuable mail you are expecting, contact the issuing agency immediately.
Immediately notify your post office and the people you do business with through the mail if you change your address.
Address your mail legibly and properly. Include complete return address, including street and apartment numbers, and nine-digit ZIP Code.
Always deposit your mail in a Postal Service mail collection box or mail slot at your local post office or hand your mail to your letter carrier. Never place your outgoing mail for your carrier to pick up in an unprotected mailbox or area where it can be easily stolen.
Consider starting a neighborhood watch program. By exchanging work and vacation schedules with trusted friends and neighbors, you can watch each other's mailboxes (as well as homes). If you observe a mail thief at work, you can call the local police immediately and then the nearest postal inspector.

If you believe your mail has been stolen, report it immediately to your local postmaster or nearest Postal Inspector. You will be asked to complete PS Form 2016, Mail Theft and Vandalism Complaint. Analysis of Forms 2016 helps Postal Inspectors in determining if the theft of your mail is isolated or part of a larger mail theft problem in your neighborhood, and in locating and apprehending mail thieves.

Obtained from Burlington Police Crime Prevention Files
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Mailboxes: Preventing Mailbox Vandalism

Preventing Mailbox Vandalism

Rural area mailboxes are vulnerable to vandalism because they are usually isolated, located on public thoroughfares, and frequently not visible to the box owners from their homes. City residential mailboxes are vandalized to a lesser degree.

Mailboxes are considered federal property, and federal law (Title 18, United States Code, Section 1705), makes it a crime to vandalize them (and to injure, deface or destroy any mail deposited in them). Violators can be fined up to $250,000 or imprisoned for up to three years for each act of vandalism.

You can take the following actions to help prevent the vandalizing or destruction of your mailbox and any mail that may be inside it:

Immediately report theft, tampering with, or destruction of mail and mailboxes to your local postmaster. You will be asked to complete PS Form 1510, Mail Loss and Rifling Report, or PS Form 2016, Mail Theft and Vandalism Complaint. These forms help the Postal Inspection Service determine whether your problem is isolated or one frequently experienced in your neighborhood.
Remove your mail from your mailbox as soon as possible after its delivery. Allowing mail to pile up for several days only tempts would-be vandals and thieves. If it is impossible for you to pick up your mail right after delivery, and you have been experiencing problems with mailbox vandalism or mail theft, consider renting a post office box, which will provide a secure method of delivery. You may find your peace of mind is worth the small rental fee.
Obtain Label 33 from the Postal Inspection Service. This sticker, which warns that willful damage to mail boxes and theft of mail is a crime, can be affixed to your mailbox.
If you discover someone tampering with your or your neighbor's mailbox, obtain that person's description and that of his vehicle, including the license plate number. Immediately report the information to your local police and postmaster.
Keep your mailbox in good repair by using proper installation methods. This may help prevent theft of the mailbox itself.

If you have information on mailbox vandalism or mail theft in your area, contact the Postal Inspection Service with your information. Your cooperation helps apprehend violators. We attempt to publicize our successful investigations of mailbox vandalism to deter other potential vandals. You may provide your information and complaints to your local postmaster or the nearest Postal Inspector.
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How to Protect Yourself when Walking at Night

How to Protect Yourself When Walking at Night

Avoid walking or running alone at night. Instead go walking or jogging with a friend.
Don't use headphones while walking, driving or jogging.
Always walk in well-lighted areas.
Avoid the use of short cuts.
After dark, keep away from large bushes or doorways where someone could be lurking.
Always stay near the curb.
If someone in a vehicle stops and asks for directions, answer from a distance. Do not approach the vehicle.
If followed, go immediately to an area with lights and people. If needed, turn around and walk in the opposite direction, your follower will also have to reverse directions.
Do not display cash openly, especially when leaving an ATM.

Source: Originally developed by the Florida Attorney General's Office
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How to Protect Yourself while Shopping

How to Protect Yourself While Shopping

Avoid shopping alone. Try to shop with a friend or relative.
Park your vehicle in a well-lighted area. Put radar detectors and cellular telephones out of sight.
Know your surroundings. Keep an eye on the people in front of as well as behind you.
Carry your purse close to your body. Don't swing it loosely. Don't flash large amounts of cash.
Walk with confidence. Avoid talking to strangers.
Approach your vehicle with your keys already in your hand.
Try not to carry too many packages. Place all packages out of sight in your vehicle, preferably in the trunk.
Keep your vehicle doors locked and your windows shut.
If you see anything suspicious or if something just doesn't feel right, leave immediately and contact security or the police.

Do not list your first name in the telephone book. Instead use initials.
Make sure your answering machine message does not indicate that you are alone.
Have deadbolts installed on all doors. Keep doors and windows locked.
Install a peep-hole on your door and look before opening the door.
Never open the door to strangers.
Keep blinds or drapes closed to discourage "Peeping Toms." Do not hang lingerie outdoors.
Verify the identity of any repairmen. Use the telephone number listed in the phone book, not on their identification.
If someone comes to your door asking to use the telephone, make the call yourself. Don't invite them in.
Don't hide a spare key under the door mat or under a flower pot. Thieves know all the good hiding places.
Plant thorny bushes under all windows. Invest in motion sensor lights and a good security system.
Get a barking dog or "beware of dog" signs.
Always double check doors at night and lock all windows.
Be sure your garage door can be secured. Do not leave it open when you are away; an empty garage broadcasts your absence.

Source: Originally developed by the Florida Attorney General's Office
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How to Protect Your Home when on Vacation

How to Protect Your Home when on Vacation

Strive to make your home look as lived-in as possible while you're away.
Don't broadcast your plans but do let your neighbors and local law enforcement know.
Give a spare key to your neighbors and give them an emergency telephone number to reach you.
Arrange to have your mail and newspapers either stopped or picked up daily.
Have someone mow your yard or rake the leaves so your house looks lived-in.
Use automatic timers to turn on a radio and lights at different intervals to hide the fact you aren't home.
Turn down the ringer on the telephone. An unanswered telephone is a dead give-away.
Be sure you don't announce your absence on your answering machine message.
Leave your blinds like you normally would if you were home. Only close them all the way if that is what you would normally do.
Be sure to close and lock the garage as well as any storage sheds, gates, etc.
Engrave all your valuables with your driver's license number. If possible videotape the contents of your home. Be sure to keep the video and the list of valuables in a safety deposit box.
Ask your neighbor to occasionally park in your driveway. If you are leaving a vehicle parked outside, have the neighbor move it periodically so it looks as though you are home.
Be sure someone knows your itinerary and your estimated time of arrival and return.
If you get lost while traveling, ask directions of local law enforcement, not complete strangers.
Be sure your vehicle is in good working condition and that you have taken enough money. Do not carry large amounts of cash, use credit cards and travelers' checks.

Source: Originally developed by the Florida Attorney General's Office