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Crime Risk Factors: Eliminate Habits That Put You In Danger!

Reduce your crime risk factors with this killer strategy and reap the benefits of a safer lifestyle with less worry. These suggestions will completely transform your daily risk profile.

There are certain factors that heavily influence your chances of being attacked by a bad guy. Making dangerous lifestyle choices can have a direct effect on these risks. That may seem like a pretty obvious or common sense idea, but SO many people ignore this kind of advice.

Many people believe...

"It will never happen to me!"

Sadly, it's this very attitude of denial that makes them vulnerable. By ignoring the common sense personal safety advice that many regular people pass around, they are setting themselves up for tragedy.

But Surely The Chances Of It Happening To Me Are Very Low...

The absolute truth is that, depending on the crime rate in your area, your chances of becoming a victim of crime are pretty low.

BUT...

...the consequences of even ONE violent attack by a criminal are terrible enough to make it worth thinking about ways to reduce your risk. Every little tip or bit of advice that you learn and then actually start using in your life adds up. Many of the crime risk factors are little things that you can change to lessen your risk of attack.

In other words, once you have set them up you don't have to think about them very often, but they keep on protecting you!

But I'm The Exception!

Even if people don't say this out loud, MANY truly believe this deep down. They feel that it’s only OTHER PEOPLE that get mugged or robbed or beaten up or carjacked.

Until THEY unexpectedly get hit by violent crime!

And it's almost always UNEXPECTED in these cases. Since these people don't really believe it will ever happen to THEM, they don't bother to lock the front door while they are inside the house.

Or they don't really pay attention to their surroundings (awareness) when they are out in public because...

...what's the point?

If you spend a bit of time learning which crime risk factors there are in YOUR life and what you can do to protect yourself from them, you will quickly be able to vastly improve your safety. MANY of the things you can start doing to reduce your risk take very little time to put into practice.

How long does it take to lock the door as soon as you enter your home?

How much time does it take to look around your car in the parking lot before approaching it to get in?

Does it really take THAT long to switch off the car radio and pay attention to what's going on in the street outside your house as you pull up to your gate in the evening?

Eliminating Your Crime Risk Factors = Time Well Spent

Even if doing these things took TWICE as long...

...they would STILL be worthwhile!

The interesting thing is that the people who are usually the most serious about awareness and doing little things to protect themselves from crime are the ones who have actually been VICTIMS of crime in the past.

Until you have felt the sheer PANIC of having a gun jammed against the side of your head...

...you just don't understand how REAL this can all become in the blink of an eye!

It often takes that kind of wake up call to make someone become truly serious about changing their lifestyle to reduce their personal crime risk factors. Since they know what lies on the other side of an attack, they are willing to take extra steps to protect themselves.

They KNOW it's worth it!

What Are Some Common Crime Risk Factors?

With a bit of effort you can start making some small changes to your daily habits TODAY that could dramatically reduce your risk of attack. So, what kinds of lifestyle choices are putting you at risk?

I will discuss 3 habits or behaviors in particular:

• Drinking and the bar scene
• Lack of awareness
• A raging temper
  

Drinking And The Bar Scene

With such busy work and family lives, the lure of a bit of social time at the local bar or drinking spot can be hard to avoid. It's often a great way to recharge ones batteries with some socializing and laughter with friends or coworkers.

I will not be telling you to give that all up!

So don't get the wrong idea. This kind of thing is quite normal and even healthy in moderation. I believe there is another crime risk factor that has far more dangerous consequences.

The main dangers are frequent late nights out with excessive drinking or drug taking. The association between alcohol and violence is a well known one.

Ask any night club bouncer or police officer who has to spend his Friday and Saturday nights up to his neck in drunken brawls and other alcohol fueled violence.

The fact is that normal, friendly, NON-VIOLENT people often turn into something quite different after a few drinks or a hit of their favorite drug. Actions that would NEVER have been considered had they been sober suddenly seem quite reasonable.

Attacking another man for "looking at me wrong" or "looking at my wife" becomes an attractive choice when drunk.

The other crime risk factor that is involved in this kind of violence is something called "displaced aggression".

Displaced aggression means taking out your frustrations (with work, family, whatever) on someone else at the bar after a few beers. Often we aren't able to vent our anger or frustration at our bosses, coworkers or spouse during the week. So gradually these little irritations build up inside us.

With no healthy or safe outlet, people let alcohol become their "excuse". Then some poor sap gets involved in an argument with our frustrated guy and all that pent up aggression from a million little things boils over in a display of violence that is usually seen as "over the top".

A spilled drink or a wrong word is said and before you can blink, you have two grown men rolling around on the floor getting their clothing all dirty!

Lack Of Awareness

A general lack of awareness usually stems from the attitude of "It won't happen to me!" with regard to crime. MOST people have no real interest in thinking about the possibility of being attacked by a criminal. It just isn't something that is thought about during the day.

I get that! We are all leading busy lives with a million different responsibilities and expectations placed on us from all sides.

By not spending any time thinking about your chances of being a victim of crime, though, you are in many cases dooming yourself to being caught when you least expect it.

I am not saying that everyone has to make minimizing their personal crime risk factors a hobby or passion.

It happens to be my passion!

I find it extremely interesting (as you may have noticed!), but it doesn't have to be your interest. You can still do things to make yourself and your loved ones safer without changing your whole focus in life.

It should start with an increased sense of awareness of the world around you. As I talk about on my awareness page, by paying more attention to those around you, you can drastically reduce your chances of being attacked by criminals.

By gradually becoming more aware and educating yourself in how criminals operate, you will be able to notice a bad guy who is trying to set you up for attack.

A woman who is aware will probably notice the suspicious man lurking around her car as she walks across the parking lot from the store. She can then choose to go back into the safety of the store or even just stop and watch for a moment.

It may be nothing...

...or she might have just avoided being attacked and raped by a violent thug!

Little habits like walking along totally involved in a conversation on your cell phone can make you a VERY attractive target for a mugger.

What could be easier than attacking someone who:

• Has not seen you
• Has not heard you
• Is not even paying attention to anything around her
  

It would be like the big bully on the playground pushing the little weakling down and taking his lunch! No trouble at all.

And yet this habit is not seen as unusual or bad by most people. Cell phones, for instance, have become such a big part of our lives and this is how they are used by most of us.

But I'm Not Giving Up My Phone!

You don't have to give up your cell phone addiction, so don't panic yet. All I suggest is that you pick and choose the times and places that you have your phone conversations.

If you receive a call while walking through the parking lot, simply stop and turn so that your back is facing a parked car. Then make sure you look around you every now and again while you are talking.

You may even avoid getting RUN OVER by a car by adopting this new behavior! I have seen some people nearly get knocked down and not even realize it. They were too involved in their conversation!

Talking about having your cell phone glued to your ear reminds me of another one of the major crime risk factors:

Jogging or walking with earphones on.

If we accept that being aware of your surroundings is a good way to avoid criminals, then it should be easy to see how completely taking away your sense of hearing might not be the best idea in the world!

Not only does having earphones in your ears make you completely DEAF to the world around you, but you are also clearly advertising this fact to any criminals in the area.

When he sees those little white cables dangling down from your ears, he knows he has just hit the jackpot!

I realize some of you may resist this advice, but you really need to ask yourself what you value more. Do you really want to multiply your crime risk factors, even as you are supposedly trying to do something HEALTHY for your body?

You are jogging to improve your health. Getting beaten over the head with the butt of a handgun and having your wallet taken is NOT a very healthy outcome.

A Raging Temper

With the endless number of frustrations in our daily lives, it is no wonder that some of us occasionally lose our tempers. That's normal. That's not what I'm going to talk about here.

I am referring to the man (not to be biased, but this problem does tend to be found mostly in men) who has made anger a habit. Whether he sees it as a problem or not, having a quick temper is a liability.

Becoming angry is a strange feeling. It can often make a person feel powerful or in control when they are raging with anger against someone else. Whether it’s a situation at work or even getting into an argument with your spouse, that feeling of power MAY be part of the reason why some men continue to get angry and "blow their tops" around others.

This kind of behavior is a major risk factor for violence, though it's not actually a crime risk factor. When someone often uses anger as an excuse to treat others badly, the violence that results may come from someone known to them or a stranger, but it will usually be an ordinary person.

The kinds of situations that can turn violent when rage is involved are:

• "Road rage" situations
• Fights at bars or night clubs
• Arguments at social gatherings that turn violent
  

The common factor in all of these situations is the person with an anger problem.

If someone cuts you off in traffic, there is no QUESTION that it is irritating, but most people do not stop, get out of their cars and get into and argument and possibly a fight on the side of the road!

Ordinary people: fathers, sons or brothers get SHOT, STABBED or beaten to death in road rage incidents like these. These are not minor situations!

You never know what kind of person is going to step out of that other car. You don't know his history, his morals or what he thinks he can get away with.

This kind of behavior gets people KILLED far too often.

Without ever running into a criminal, the danger of death or injury still exists when anger is allowed to run wild.

Dangerous Lifestyle Choices Are Always Your Decision

You need make a decision. If none of the crime risk factors that I have discussed apply to you...

...GREAT!

But remember, there are plenty of other choices that can put you at risk out there. It's up to you to think critically about them and decide if they are worth the possible consequences.

Some may give thought to their choices and decide that the risks ARE worth it to them. That's fine too. As long as they are consciously choosing those behaviors while understanding the risks. As adults we have the luxury of being responsible for our own lives.

Of course, that luxury also comes with responsibility. Make sure you are not just cruising along, doing what you've always done because you've never given it any thought.

This is your life we are talking about! Stay safe out there.

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