Editor’s Note: This article covers the prevention phase of crime preparedness. For an overview of our complete five-part series on prepping for being a victim of crime, see our main guide.

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Part 1: Becoming a Hard Target – Prevention Strategies

The most effective way to deal with crime is to prevent it from happening in the first place. This section focuses on making yourself, your home, and your digital presence less attractive to potential criminals.

Situational Awareness: Your First Line of Defense

Situational awareness isn’t paranoia—it’s informed attention to your environment. It’s the skill that allows you to spot potential threats before they become actual dangers.

The Cooper Color Code System:

• White: Unaware and unprepared. This is where most people operate daily—absorbed in phones, headphones in, oblivious to surroundings. This state makes you an easy target.
• Yellow: Relaxed alertness. You’re aware of your surroundings without being anxious. You notice who’s around you, what they’re doing, and what’s normal for this environment. This should be your default state in public.
• Orange: Specific alert. Something has caught your attention—a person, behavior, or situation that seems off. You’ve identified a potential threat and are mentally preparing responses.
• Red: Ready to act. The threat is imminent, and you’re prepared to respond—whether that’s leaving the area, calling for help, or defending yourself.

Practical Awareness Habits:

• When entering a building, identify all exits immediately
• Scan parking lots before exiting your vehicle
• Note people who seem out of place or overly interested in you
• Trust your instincts—that uneasy feeling exists for a reason
• Limit phone use while walking in public
• Remove headphones in unfamiliar or potentially dangerous areas
• Walk with purpose and confidence; predators select uncertain targets

OPSEC: Operational Security for Civilians

Originally a military concept, OPSEC (Operational Security) is increasingly relevant for everyday civilians in our connected world.

Physical OPSEC:

• Don’t discuss vacation plans loudly in public
• Avoid advertising expensive purchases (break down boxes, remove them from curbside quickly)
• Be cautious about what’s visible through windows
• Don’t leave mail or packages sitting outside
• Vary your daily routines when possible

Social OPSEC:

• Be selective about what you share on social media
• Disable location tagging on posts
• Review your privacy settings regularly
• Think twice before posting about being away from home
• Limit information about your children, their schools, and activities
• Google yourself periodically to see what’s publicly available

Financial OPSEC:

• Shred sensitive documents rather than just trashing them
• Use credit cards with fraud protection rather than debit cards
• Monitor accounts regularly for unauthorized activity
• Consider a credit freeze to prevent identity theft
• Use unique, strong passwords for financial accounts

Home Security: Layers of Protection

Effective home security follows the principle of “defense in depth”—multiple layers that slow down or deter criminals at each stage.

The Outer Perimeter:

• Keep landscaping maintained; overgrown shrubs provide cover for burglars
• Ensure house numbers are visible for emergency responders
• Install motion-activated exterior lighting
• Consider thorny plants under first-floor windows
• Remove items from the yard that could be used as tools (ladders, large rocks)

Entry Points:

• All exterior doors should have deadbolts with 1-inch throws
• Use 3-inch screws in strike plates and hinges to prevent kick-ins
• Sliding doors need secondary locks or security bars
• Windows should have working locks; consider security film
• Peepholes or video doorbells let you see who’s there before opening

Interior Defenses:

• Reinforce the master bedroom door for a safe room option
• Keep a phone and flashlight accessible
• Consider a small safe for important documents and valuables
• Don’t hide keys outside; criminals know all the “secret” spots

The Psychology of Deterrence:

Criminals prefer easy targets. Your goal isn’t to make your home impenetrable—just harder than the next house. Signs of security awareness (alarm signs, cameras visible, well-lit entry points) often deter before any physical measures are tested.

Digital Security: Protecting Your Electronic Life

In the modern world, digital security is as important as physical security. Your data is valuable to criminals.

Password Hygiene:

• Use unique passwords for every account
• Consider a password manager to handle complexity
• Enable two-factor authentication wherever available
• Never share passwords via email or text

Device Security:

• Keep all devices updated with security patches
• Use antivirus software and keep it current
• Encrypt sensitive data on laptops and phones
• Be cautious with public WiFi; use a VPN when possible
• Enable “Find My Device” features to locate or wipe lost devices

Email and Communication Security:

• Learn to recognize phishing attempts
• Verify unexpected requests, even from known contacts
• Don’t click links in unsolicited emails or texts
• Be skeptical of urgent requests for money or information

Social Engineering Awareness:

• Criminals often manipulate rather than hack
• Be cautious of anyone asking for personal information
• Verify the identity of callers claiming to be from banks, government, or tech support
• Remember that legitimate organizations won’t ask for passwords or PINs

Building a Security Mindset

Prevention isn’t about living in fear—it’s about making intelligent choices that reduce risk. Consider these principles:

The 10-80-10 Rule:

• 10% of crimes are unpreventable regardless of precautions
• 80% can be prevented with reasonable security measures
• 10% would require extraordinary measures to prevent

Focus your energy on that middle 80%.

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Every security measure has a cost (money, convenience, time). Evaluate each measure based on:

• The likelihood of the threat
• The potential impact if it occurs
• The cost of the preventive measure
• Your personal risk tolerance

The Security Audit: Periodically walk through your home and life with a criminal’s eye:

• What would a burglar see from the street?
• What information is publicly available about you online?
• What routines could be exploited?
• Where are the weak points in your security?

When Prevention Fails

Despite our best efforts, crime can still occur. The remaining parts of this series will cover what to do when prevention fails—how to respond during a crime, deal with the immediate aftermath, navigate the recovery process, and rebuild your life and sense of security.

Prevention is always preferable to response, but comprehensive preparedness includes both. By making yourself a harder target, you dramatically reduce the likelihood of ever needing those emergency response plans.

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Coming up in Part 2: When prevention fails and you find yourself the victim of a crime, what should you do in those critical first moments? We’ll cover immediate response strategies for different crime scenarios, from property crimes to violent encounters.