Protecting Small Businesses From Crime

Action Against Business Crime was formed by the Home Office and the British Retail Consortium as a response to rising levels of crime in shops and other small businesses around the country. Crime problems for businesses had been made more difficult by police concentration on national key objectives such as domestic burglary, personal robbery, car crime and violence. With acquisitive crime increasing as the recession takes hold, now is the time for all businesses to ensure they protect their future from theft, burglary, robbery and violence.

By forming business crime reduction partnerships in cities, towns, shopping centers and other areas with concentrations of business, much has been achieved in reducing crime and anti-social behavior in many areas. It is far better to develop a structured response to crime before it happens than to have to call police after it has happened.

By getting retailers and other businesses to communicate with each other by radio, sharing information about local criminals and alerting each other to suspicious people and transactions, a great deal more can be done to reduce the opportunity to commit crime. Remember, thieves operate best when their behavior is anonymous and not known to other people. By working together, it reduces that anonymity, exposes criminals to greater risk of being detected and reduces their opportunity to commit crime.

Working together will not eliminate crime, but it will bring positive results as known local criminals and anti-social elements know they will be identified and that their details will be passed to other businesses. It also means that local police have a better chance of dealing with these people because they will have much more evidence of the actions and behaviour of those people who cause most trouble locally.

As part of its work, AABC now provides better and more cost-effective security systems for small businesses, which suffer higher levels of burglary and, in many cases, do not have adequate security. Bells only alarms are not normally responded to by police, so something better is required to give small businesses that level of protection provided by police response systems affordable generally by bigger businesses at far greater cost.

Working with a security provider, AABC has developed a key holder response security system, which is monitored by a central security center in the same way as a much more expensive police response system. The security center can listen in to hear if anyone is on the premises after the alarm is activated and advise the keyholder accordingly. The system also has a lone worker alert, which allows staff to contact the security centre who will listen in and who can speak to the lone worker and provide assistance if required. The security system also features a smoke detector as fires frequently mean that effected businesses never recover.

To reduce the financial burden, there is no up-front capital outlay for the system. All that is required is a three year agreement that covers the cost of the hardware, the monitoring and maintenance, all this has been price pointed at £35 per month plus vat - or £38 per month plus vat with smoke detection, - that's about £9 a week for first class security which is considered affordable to almost every business. This provides protection which is seen as being far more effective than bells only by your insurer and which will ensure you obtain the best insurance deals as well as protecting your future. On there web, you can check for online insurance quotes.

For more information visit http://www.businesscrimereduction.org to see the full range of security systems on offer - shop, office and unit.

UK Relocation, Crime Statistics and House Prices

"Burglaries rise fast as economy goes slow"was the headline on the front page of the London Times newspaper on 29th June 2011.

This much anticipated 'recession crime wave' is set to have a significant impact on both domestic and international relocation services.

According to the Metropolitan Police there were big increases in robbery, burglary and motor vehicle crime in the past 12 months, with other Forces' Chief Constables claiming clear signs that burglary and robbery are "on the turn", with commentators anticipating that crime rates can only worsen as unemployment increases.

A couple of days after the Times article appeared, the figures covering May 2011 for the whole of England and Wales were published on the Police UK website. Type in your postcode and you will be shown a map detailing the month's crimes broken down into various categories.

Not for the faint hearted, particularly for urban dwellers. The stark data can make genteel Hampstead or Holland Park look like Beirut on a bad night, and pointing out that a certain level of crime is inevitable, particularly in built up areas, does little to reassure those of a nervous disposition.

Or indeed anyone relocating and researching destination areas.

Publication of these crime statistics started in December 2010, so we now have a full six months worth to analyse. So what can it tell us and how does it impact on relocation services?

On the face of it, not much. Unsurprisingly, built up areas tend to have more crime than rural ones.

However, if one analyses the increase in crime rates nationally between December 2010 and May 2011 and then compares any target area against this benchmark, a different picture emerges in many parts of the country with, in many instances and counter to generally held beliefs, greater increases on crime in the rural rather than urban areas.

Furthermore, if one establishes national benchmarks for crime rates in areas of similar population density i.e., comparing like with like, thereby putting the 'Beirut effect' into context, you can get a real indication of whether an area is on the up or the slide.

Clearly this is precisely the sort of qualitative information a relocating family, whether moving domestically or coming in from abroad, would want to know.

Not only is it highly relevant to the issue of lifestyle choice, but also, given the coming recession crime wave, property values. Areas where crime rates are increasing faster than elsewhere, or are greater than neighbourhoods with similar characteristics, could quite easily experience a negative impact on property values. All very pertinent information when deciding where you are going to make your biggest investment.

And, if Additional Housing Cost Allowance (AHCA)/Mortgage Disparity Assistance/Housing Cost Disparity payment is part of the relocation package, it is now surely essential that this is becomes factored into the calculation.

Traditionally the concept of 'neighbourhood desirability' (as defined by the Differential Suppliers) has been based on the relatively static assessment of the residents' demographic profiles. Potentially, the much more volatile crime data turns this assessment on its head.

The data is out there for anyone to access and, given the current economic climate, it is bound to increase in significance. Fortunately, with regular and meaningful analysis, it should develop into a valuable tool not only for the relocating family, but also the relocation professional.

For more information about this and to see mapped examples, please visit our website at www.prsco.co.uk

Nick Draycott
Director
PRS Consultants
Property Price Disparity Data Consultants
http://www.prsco.co.uk

You Cannot Reduce Crime by Changing Outside Support Systems!

I began carrying a loaded pistol with me every day when I was about 13-years-old. Durham police frequently stopped me to confiscate my concealed weapons that always included a pistol and frequently a "hawk bill," a curved blade knife that ripped flesh as it cut. Why, some of them asked, can we always stop you and get weapons off you? "Because," I always replied, "I'd rather you catch me with it than for some of the people I run with to catch me without it." Taking my guns and knives didn't encourage me to stop doing crime. I just bought other weapons. They were always readily available. Sometimes local police also confiscated whatever cash I had on me, sometimes hundreds of dollars. They instictively knew I had stole the money, but they couldn't prove it, so they took it. I never knew what they did with the money. I assumed they kept it. Did taking my money motivate me to change? No! I just went and either stole more money, or property I could easily convert into cash, or I got in a series of gambling games until I won what I thought I needed.

Recently, I read a suggestion by David Gorman, a loss reduction specialist, who suggested that the government should take the $100 bill out of circulation because, from his perspective criminals favor those specific denominations to transact their various businesses. Will that slow down criminals? Will they transact less business? Will criminals conclude the following: "Well, they've taken our favorite money denomination out of circulation, so I guess we just gotta stop doing crime?

Given my personal experiences, plus almost 40 years of research into how criminals think, I conclude that David Gorman's suggestion is flawed at best Gorman's suggestions were published in the Providence (RI) Journal. It's interesting that almost everything Gorman wrote is true. For example: "The underground economy and criminal economy thrive on paper cash, especially the $100 bill." That's right! "In fact, the payment of choice by drug cartels and terrorist organizations is the $100 bill because it is easy to store, launder and transport." That's true, too. "Because 100s are difficult to change, and are risky and unnecessary for law-abiding Americans to carry, the functional use for the $100 bill has been declining while its demand in the underground economies is booming." Now, I don't know if that's true or not, but I concede the point.

However, I take exception to Gorman's sweeping conclusion. He wrote: "By simply demonetizing the $100 bill, we can do more to undermine terrorist and other criminal activity without any expense to the taxpayer and no harm or loss of life to law enforcement and our troops. In fact, it would be a peaceful and nonviolent method for preventing crime, drugs and terrorism and will assist law enforcement in their crime-solving efforts." That's not true, not by a long shot!

There's no easy way out of this mess!

Recalling my 20 years as a criminal--from five-years-old until 25-years-old--it was quite a time before I got my thieving hands on a $100 bill. Yes, I liked $100 and $50 bills during my criminal lifestyle. But I also liked $20s, $10, fives and ones just as much. Therefore, I don't believe that demonetizing $100 and $50 bills will do anything to reduce crime and terrorism. Certainly, it will not prevent it.

Now, I'm not trying to discourage anyone from taking these bills out of circulation. Go ahead, do it! But please let's not kid ourseleve into believing that somehow that alone will prevent potential criminals from becoming full-fledged offenders. Do not believe that operating criminals will walk away from the lifestyle in frustration because they can no longer get their greedy hands on these two denominations of money.

Let's hear the truth!

First of all, we are all stakeholders in this vision of crime reduction in our society! I define the stakeholder groups as: criminals, crime response professionals (police, judicial officials and correctional professionals), citizens--who, by the way, pay the total bill for crime and its responses,--careerists, change advocates, change activists and change conquerors. Crime reduction occurs when a criminal becomes a change activist, and continues a long and arduous transformation process along the Change Continuum until he or she becomes a change conqueror. Other stakeholder groups must learn how to support this transformation process that begins inside and demonstrates itself in the outward behavior of change activists. For example, crime response professionals must learn to recognize and promote small and quick flashes of desires to change in criminals. Citizens must insist on change as the only equitable return on their prodiguous investment in crime and the criminal justice system. Careerists--the people who determine who works--must learn to recognize the difference between changing and conning. They must stop refusing jobs to former criminals just because they've been convicted. Change advocates must learn how to become catalysts for change and not enablers of criminal thinking. For example, we must sacrifice a particularly silly belief that by completing a prison sentence, a criminals pays his or her death to society.

Consider the scenario. A thief burglarizes your home! Who paid for the stuff the thief stole? You know! You did! You report the crime to the police. Who pays the police? You again, right! The police arrest and jail a suspect. Who pays for the nation's jails? Yep, that's you again. So on the day, you go to court to testify against this cad for invading your space and stealing your stuff, you pay the judge. Worse, you pay the prosecuting attorney to do his or her best to send this thief to prison, while simultaneously paying a public defender or court appointed lawyer to help the thief avoid prison. Let's suppose now that the court gets a conviction, however it occurs, and the thief goes to prison. Well who pays for the nation's prisons? You know the sickening answer--you do! So when did the criminal pay, and precisely what did he or she pay? Actually, when released from custody, all the criminal did was outlive a court sanction.

So if the current criminal justice system fails in its attempt to foster widespread change among criminals, how it the world will demonetizing two demoninations of money: " . . . undermind terrorist and other criminal activity . . .?"

Change is hard, hard, hard work! As a 40-year change activist and currently a change conqueror, I know firsthand how challenging it is to transform from criminal to community contributor. But I also know that the payoff, the outcomes make all the challenges, the obstacles, even the frustrations worth the struggles.

So Mr. Gorman, let's roll up our sleeves together and begin working hard to help criminals change. Transformed criminals don't do crime. That's the vision! Let's get on with it!

I have spent almost 40 years mastering the principles of how to stay out of crime and prison. I am now an expert and I want to share this expertise with others. For more information, please visit [http://www.miltoncjordansr.com/index.cfm?id=4901&fuseaction=browse&pageid=55]

A History of Crime

Most people would accept the fact that are vast, significant, and major differences between modern society and societies of the past. Over time, humans have continually shaped and reshaped their lives, their surroundings, and their societies to reflect new attitudes, changing beliefs, and pressing needs. As a result, human society continuously is in flux.

Of the many elements of human society, however, some things have remained constant. The need to provide food, water, and shelter, for example, are common throughout time. So is the desire to be social. Another one of the elements of society that has existed throughout time is crime. From the very beginnings of society thousands of years ago, people have had to deal with crime and criminals.

From the time of large civilizations of the ancient Chinese, Aztecs, and Greeks, to the tribal communities of North America, Australia, and Africa, all communities have had ways to deal with crime. In the past, before large-scale, established societies came into existence, humans would use violence to deal with criminals. After communities began to be established, more codified ways of dealing with crime were put in place, but violence was still used. For example, to deter crime and criminals, some societies would kill thieves. Others would put them in prison. Another step that some communities in Africa have used in the past was to outcast criminals. Anyone who stole from anyone else would have to leave the tribe, group, or community. In some Native American communities of North America, societies would try to reconcile thieves and the people from whom they stole.

As time progressed and societies changed, crime was always something that people had to be concerned about. In general, punishments for crime likely stayed constant. Prison, death, ostracism, and even fines remained the norm for dealing with people who committed crimes. In Europe, though, around the 17th century, the Enlightenment began to change how crime would be dealt with. The punishments would remain the same, but they would become more codified. As many European nations began to make written law a part of their societies, people who committed crimes were seen not just as bad members of society but as people who had broken the law. As a result, criminals were not seen just as bad members of society but as people who had broken the law.

This trend of codification continued to the present-day. As a result, people who commit crimes today have to deal with laws, courts, and lawyers.

Laws today can be very confusing and complex. For more information on laws and crimes, contact the Milwaukee criminal defense attorneys of Kohler & Hart. They can be reached at 414-271-9595 or they can be sent a message from here.

Joseph Devine

Cyber Crime Definition

Today, definitions for cybercrime cross over multiple spectra. The following information is a collaboration of definitions built to answer your questions about this growing threat to individuals and organizations.

Many of the cyber crime articles available on the Internet today can appear outdated as they fall short of a uniform categorization or specific steps on methods for fighting cybercrime or even how to support cyber crime victims. These barriers also create difficulty for those attempting to report cybercrime. With today's rapid growth of technology, as well as updates to cyber law cannot stop cyber crime from growing and updating in kind. Internet fraud is certainly the area that most personal computer (PC) users are concerned about, and cyber crime study, continues to be left to amateurs or veteran criminologists. It is critical today that both users and organizations comprehend and teach what is cyber crime and how to stop it. The broad meaning of cybercrime can be narrowed down by looking at specific crimes that are most common.

Cyber Identity Theft and Computer Hacking, considered by experts as the most common forms of cybercrime, involve the theft of personal information that is attainable through computer systems and computer networks. Phishing and pharming seem to have the most success as potential victims of these crimes do not think twice when sites that veil their criminal intent, or even look identical to sites familiar to Internet users, which makes it easy for cyber criminals to collect critical online identity information:

Full Name
Phone Number
Address
Login
Password
Credit Card/Bank Account numbers

Cyberspace crime involves much more than Identity Theft, and, today, does not even require Internet use. The growth of interest in topics such as cyberbullying, commonly perpetrated through the use of cell phones, is on pace to achieve Identity Theft's level of notoriety. Current Wiki Leak and Hactivist news items have also shown the Global nature of cybercrime, while broadening the cyber crime definition. Protection from these and other cyberspace crimes are quickly becoming popular subjects.

Xander is leading contributor to Cyber Wiki Blog and Cyber Wiki, two sites committed to providing answers to the growing list of Cyber related questions.

Article On Saint Louis Crime And Violence

Who Has The Answer To Stop Crime?

Over the years, the entire metropolitan area of St. Louis has had multiple problems with street crime. An organization, such as the St. Louis Federal Research Agency reviewed St. Louis Crime Statistic Reports, and learned that the city is gone mad. The behavioral problems in this city are unmanageable. The crime percentage in St. Louis averages highly above most cities in the United States.

There are more than 19,000 cities within the United States. Out of more than 19,000 cities, when it comes to street crime and violence, St. Louis has proven to be one of the most violent and treacherous. It is a war zone in St. Louis city. What violent crime will be committed next?

When a city is ranked number 1 or number 2 for crimes, that means, all types of felonies and misdemeanors are performed throughout it. Also, a city posted number one for crimes is a region where much foul play has been in session.

The city is filled with a bunch of people who continually double cross one another. Due to the double crossing acts, this city not to be played with. This city is off the chain; and I now see why mothers dread of taking their children to the neighborhood playground.

The North side, the Southside, the Westside, and the Eastside have become fields of war. How can it be safe, when all four sides of a city is filled with raging conflict. When all four sides of a city is active in crime, there is nowhere to run, nor is there a place to find refuge. This society has become an evil turf.

In these last and evil days, people are claiming spots as their territory. The days are called, "evil" because iniquity has abounded. Nothing in the area is owned by them, but they claim it, as if they have purchased it. They call this territory, "My Turf". It has to be something from within that makes people claim what they do not own.

Many innocent people have been victimized. The phrase you know it to be is, "Innocent Bystander". Innocent lives are destroyed everyday. Many people woke up one morning feeling good about life. The day was normal, and perhaps it was Friday's payday. The innocent walked out the front door, with thoughts on going to pick up a fat earned bi-weekly paycheck. Then, all of a sudden, someone brought a felony into this innocent person's presence. As this innocent person was about to get inside the car, a crime worker shot and robbed him. It is amazing how just one wrongdoing can mess up a person's life. This act is called, "pre meditated bodily injury", or "aggravated assault".

Crime has become the city's burden and affliction. People are taking on yokes with their own strength. Normally, human beings are subjects of obtaining burdens and afflictions. But St. Louis, which is a city, has conceived that same damaging effect. The body of Jesus suffered much affliction from crime led people, and St. Louis is suffering badly from the same ungodly movement (crime committing).

If St. Louis had a mind to think for itself, its thoughts would be filled with misery all day long. All the times, St. Louis would have ongoing anxiety attacks. Since St. Louis is a city, which means it cannot think for itself, it has neither emotions nor feelings. The longer people allow crime to be their focus, the greater the burden and affliction the city will feel.

Read more here: http://www.ididnotknowbookstory.com/SaintLouis_City_Crime.html

How To Become A Real Crime Scene Technician

The popularity of those true-crime and crime scene technician programs on television have not only attracted a large audience of loyal fans, but have also inspired thousands of students to enter criminal law, forensic sciences, and law enforcement schools, all in hopes of joining the ranks of forensic lab and field technicians across the country. Because the field is so varied, the training can literally come from a host of different sources, and will continue on past gaining the necessary degrees or certifications, so that they can readily keep up with the ever-changing technology.

The skills you will learn in school to become a crime scene investigator are so needed these days that any certification or degree will easily lead to a career that is much in demand. Law enforcement, legal practices and even the federal government have openings for dedicated forensics professionals from all walks of life, and education.

Where to Begin Your Crime Scene Technician Training

There are so many different ways to begin your training in forensic science. Enrolling in any technical school that offers classes in criminal justice is one way to begin. Attending an accredited college or university program is another. And, these days, you can even begin your job training online, at your own pace, allowing you to take care of your beginning classes, and formal training over whatever period of time you require.

Beginning with criminal justice training is the smartest way, as you will be learning everything that you will need to be part of law enforcement, the largest employers of technician anywhere. This type of background is essential to your formal training to work in the field gathering evidence, securing crime scenes and interviewing potential witnesses as part of your daily job description.

Career Education Requirements

Before you can get into the science of forensic technology itself, you should have a good knowledge of the physical sciences, chemistry, biology, math and anatomy physiology. Along with this course of study, outside of the technology itself, the best school to enter after the general courses are behind you, is the school of criminal justice.

Because most crime scene investigator and technician positions are actually filled within law enforcement, it is essential that any student planning on having this kind of specialized career study the first couple of years as if they were becoming a police officer in the field. In some jurisdictions, the CSI functions as operating police officers in emergency situations, so all of this training will come in handy, even if the television shows may tell you otherwise.

Criminal Justice Training

You can either attend an actual criminal justice school, or complete the necessary criminal justice courses online while you complete the technical and science requirements at a university. However you wish to do so the bulk of your criminal justice training should include as many of the following courses as you can complete for the full spectrum of training available:

Criminal Law

Crime Scene Evidence

Criminal Investigation

Crime Scene Photography

Evidence Collection

Evidence Analysis and Interpretation

The next set of courses only requires that you show a proficiency in, so that you can work with law enforcement agencies, while pursuing your main career:

Shooting

Defensive Tactics

First Aid

Fingerprinting, including applications, techniques and interpretation

Bloodstain Analysis

Forensic Photography

Footwear Identification Proficiency

Employment Outlook and Opportunities

There are a large number of crimes that occur unfortunately on a regular basis that will require the specialized expertise of a crime scene technician. Assaults, burglaries, rapes, kidnappings, suicides, vehicular crimes, and murder will all allow you to utilize every skill you have learned so that you can be an important part of the investigation team.

Job opportunities for professional technicians can be found in law enforcement, fire departments, pathology labs, hospitals, medical examiners offices, and even insurance and detective agencies. This means that the current outlook is very good, and the number of openings is expected to grow over the next few years, as the field expands.

Here's your chance to join the real CSI teams and become a true crime solver! Visit [http://www.theforensicssciencecolleges.com/] and discover the careers in forensic science. Learn how you can get started in these specialized careers.