Crime Prevention and Personal Safety

Students go to college to obtain an education. What they do not expect to receive, however, is a harsh lesson in life by becoming a crime victim. College campuses were once thought to be safe havens where people could send their children without having to fear that they might become victims of crime. The truth is that college campuses are a small part of society and as such events on campus will parallel society at large.

Fortunately, there are practical tips that if learned, can greatly assist in preventing, deterring, or reducing the risk of becoming a victim of crime.

Protecting Yourself in the Residence Halls and at Home

• Always lock your door, even when you intend to return shortly or even if you are just going down the hall. It only takes a thief ten seconds or less to enter an open room and steal your property.
  
• Lock or secure doors and windows when you are alone or asleep.
  
• Do not prop open outer doors.
  
• Do not allow strangers to enter premises.
  
• If someone asks to use your phone for an emergency call, offer to telephone for them instead of allowing them access.
  
• Keep emergency numbers by your phone.
  
• Do not leave messages on your door indicating that you are away and when you will return.
  
• Do not put your address on your key ring.
  
• Do not leave keys in hiding places. Thieves will find them.
  
• On-campus, call Public Safety (extension 8888) to report suspicious activity. Off-campus, use the emergency number of the city or town. (Boston, Brookline, Cambridge - 911) Immediately give the dispatcher your location. Then give the nature of the emergency. If possible, stay on the line until help arrives or the dispatcher terminates the call.
  
• Open a savings or checking account instead of keeping money in your room. Keep automatic teller machine (ATM) cards in a safe place. Never reveal your personal identification number to anybody, particularly somebody who purports to be a bank employee conducting a security survey. Never loan your ATM card to anybody, no matter how good a friend you think they are. When possible, only use ATMs during the day. If you find you need to bank at night, use a machine in a well lighted area such as inside a shopping mall or super market.

Protecting yourself when walking

• Avoid walking alone at night unless absolutely necessary.
  
• Keep to well lit commonly traveled routes.
  
• Avoid shortcuts and dark, isolated areas.
  
• If you feel threatened, cross the street, enter a business establishment or otherwise seek the safety of having other persons around you. Trust your instincts, if someone or something makes you uneasy, you are probably correct.
  
• Walk purposefully, know where you are going, do not project the image of a victim.
  
• Constantly maintain awareness of your surroundings. Avoid potentially dangerous situations.
  
• Always dress for freedom of movement when walking.
  
• Have your door keys ready; carry them in your hand or pocket, not buried in a purse.
  
• Avoid giving directions to persons in motor vehicles. If you feel you must, do not approach the vehicle closely, speak from a distance and be prepared to flee in the direction opposite that which the vehicle is facing.
  

Safety on Public Transportation

• If you use the T, it is wise to have a pass or tokens ready. Fishing for correct change on the street leaves you vulnerable.
  
• If you use the subway system at night, wait adjacent to the fare collectors booth until you hear the train coming into the station.
  
• In subway cars or buses sit adjacent to the operator.
  
• In subway trains (red line, blue line and orange line) sit in the first car adjacent to the operator or in the car in which the guard is stationed. (This is usually mid-point in the train and can be determined by watching as the train enters the station to see the car from which this person looks to check the doors.)
  
• Stand back behind the yellow line as trains approach.
  
• It is best not to carry a backpack on crowded buses and trains, pickpockets can easily open your pack and remove the contents without your knowledge.
  
• If you request a taxi cab, ensure that you give specific instructions as to your destination.
  
• Ensure that the meter is not engaged until you are in the cab and have named your destination.
  
• Ensure that the meter is used during the trip.

Common Sense

• Never leave personal belongings unattended, particularly in public areas.
  
• Do not carry weapons; they can be used against you.
  
• If you are robbed, do not resist. Your property is not worth your life.