The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Uniform Crime Reports publishes the crime statistics annually for the United States. The crime statistics are based on the crime reported to the police in different states of the country. The Bureau of Justice Statistics meanwhile conducts the annual National Crime Victimization Survey that deals with capture crimes that are not reported to the police.

In 2009, the crime rate in the US was almost the same as in 1968. The homicide rate was at the lowest level since 1964. The national crime rate was 3,400 crimes per every 100,000 residents. This was a significant drop from the 3,700 crimes per 100,000 residents in 1969. In 2008, about 14,000 people were killed in the country.

The risk of being a victim to crime generally depends on several demographic factors and location. Most crimes occur in American cities that are economically disadvantage. For example, in California, the San Mateo county had 17 homicides in 2001. Most of these took place in the poor areas.

Crimes are divided into several types and these include violent and property crime. Violent crime includes homicide, rape, robbery, and assault. Property crime includes burglary, motor vehicle theft, larceny, and arson.

So how do you avoid being a victim of a crime? Here are some several steps that you need to follow at all times.

  • Avoid shady places. Don’t go to parts of the town where crime rate is high. Avoid these places as much as possible. Don’t go there thinking nothing will happen to you because you’re carrying a pepper spray on your bag.
  • Walk with a buddy. It’s best to always have someone with you when you’re walking outside. Even if you’re in a safe neighborhood, you never know when crime is going to come. It’s safer to have another person with you at all times. Many criminal target people who are alone.
  • Lock your car. Make it a habit to lock your car all the time. It doesn’t matter whether you’re parked or running, you must always lock your car to prevent someone from getting into it, stealing it, or robbing you.
  • Secure your home. Install motion detector lights in your home, particularly in the porch so that even if no one’s home, the lights would still go on when someone approaches. Install security locks on the doors and windows. Have a security system all over the property.
  • Carry self-defense items in your bag. Always have pepper spray or anything else inside your bag so if someone assaults or attempts to rob you, you can buy time to get away from the criminal. There’s no need for you to carry a Samurai sword in your katana bag, although this would surely scare off any person who tries to harm you.
  • Have common sense. As a kid, you’ve always been taught not to talk to strangers. Things don’t change even when you’re an adult. While it’s okay to converse with people you don’t know, don’t trust them right away. You never know if that person is a criminal out to take advantage of you.

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