Crime prevention
Some of our branches can help sort out home security after a burglary
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People often say 'prevention is better than cure' when talking about health issues - but the same thing applies to crime. While it's hard to completely protect yourself from becoming a victim, there are simple things everyone can do to help reduce the risks.
Victims are not to blame
Blaming yourself if you become a victim of crime is a surprisingly common reaction. It's easy to think 'What if...?' and look for things you could have done to stop the crime happening. But here at Victim Support we believe the only person to blame for a crime is the one who committed it.
But having been a victim once, you may be thinking about things you can do to try and prevent it happening again. So here's some information and advice on simple steps you can take and links to other sources of help and information.
If you've recently been a victim
The last thing we want to do if you've been a victim is to make you more afraid. But you should be aware that, sadly, you may be a slightly increased risk of another incident for a short while after certain types of crime. For example, if a burglar has been disturbed they may decide to return to take something they saw but had to leave behind. They may also think that if you haven't repaired doors or windows quickly it might be easier for them to get in a second time.
Help to reduce the risks
Rather than simply worrying about becoming a victim again, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk, now and for the future. And there are people who can help.
For example, as part of supporting you as a victim we can help you to sort out repairs to doors and windows to make your home more secure. In some cases we can actually organise for people to come and do the work and help with the costs. We can also help you to get more general crime prevention advice from the police or other local agencies. Some of our offices even provide their own crime prevention advice service. The exact help on offer can vary from place to place as some parts of the country get extra funding to help provide services like these. But please get in touch to find out how we can help in your area.
As well as contacting us for help, you can get in touch directly with the Crime Prevention Officer at your local police station. They should offer you a crime prevention assessment at your home.
Other sources of help
- Local authorities and crime and disorder reduction partnership (which bring together a range of local agencies to help fight crime) can help to improve security in the local community, for example by improving street lighting or installing CCTV.
- Get a copy of the Home Office crime prevention guide ‘Your practical guide to crime prevention’. It gives details of simple precautions that you can take to protect yourself, your family and your property. Copies are available from your local police station.
- If there is a local Neighbourhood Watch scheme, you might want to join it. If there is no scheme in your area, why not talk to your local crime prevention officer about starting one - there may be other people in your area who would be interested.