Off the Job Safety – Home, Property and Personal Safety Division of Youth Corrections Off the Job Safety – Home, Property and Personal Safety

Personal Safety Think Safety (know that a danger could exist). Realize that you could become a victim. Have a plan - know what you will do if a dangerous situation comes up. Use good judgement. ALWAYS TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS - If something feels wrong, it probably is.

Personal Safety When you are out be aware of your surroundings and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Carry a cellular phone in case of emergency. Choose well-lighted streets when walking at night. Walk with a friend.

Personal Safety - at Home Install and use a peephole in your front door. Keep drapes or blinds down after dark. Leave lights on in two or more rooms to show people that you are home (a well-lit home keeps unwanted intruders away). Be extremely careful about letting strangers into your home. Be suspicious of visits by people that you didn’t call.

Personal Safety - Automobile Your car doors should ALWAYS be LOCKED, even in your own garage. Make it automatic to lock all your doors. After dark you NEVER park where it's dark. If you go there when it's daylight, you never park where it WILL BE dark when you come out. If the only available spaces are dark, you sit in your locked car until one opens up in a lighted spot or go to a different place. Even if your car is locked, you should always look underneath it from a safe distance. From 20-feet you can see under your car to the other side without crouching. NOTICE: LOOK INSIDE before you get into your car. Do this even in the daytime. If you see ANYTHING wrong, like shoes on the other side of the car but no head above the roofline, or a lumpy blanket on the back floor, you act like you've forgotten something and return to the building to call the police. DO NOT act like you SAW anything. If you act like you saw something, the predator will run while you're calling the police and may attack someone else in 10 minutes.

Personal Consideration BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS Lock your car in parking lots and when driving - especially when you are driving in an unfamiliar area. Don’t carry a large amount of cash in your purse or wallet. Keep personal belongings secure. At work direct care staff should: Lock up pocket books, address books, personal planners/calendars while at work. Keep an unlisted phone number. Don’t advertise your possessions or family to the residents. Keep your home address in a safe place (i.e. checkbook, bill statements or other mail, magazine subscription labels, etc..) and be aware of who is around when giving personal info while at work.

HOME SAFETY Keep your home secure at all times. Change the locks after moving into a new house or apartment (Friends and neighbors of the people who lived there before may still have a key). When you leave make sure that doors and windows are locked. Install a home security system. Install lighting that will come on (motion sensor) if someone is outside your house.

Your Safety You have to be willing to do what it takes NOT to be a victim. NO ONE can keep you safe but YOU! This requires effort and thought on YOUR PART.

Division of Youth Corrections Office of Quality Assurance THE END Division of Youth Corrections Office of Quality Assurance