Security on Campus
Parents who have kids that are old enough to go off to college have many concerns. Will Dorman 13731 succeed academically? Will they make friends? Will they party too much? The questions seem never ending. However, there is one question that many parents forget to ask simply because they assume they are sending their kids off to a safe and secure dormitory on campus. Unfortunately, this is not always true. While crime on campuses is fairly low when compared to crime in most cities, it still does occur. Home security system experts suggest that you speak with your child about the dangers of living on campus before he leaves in the fall.
You don't want to scare your child into thinking that he won't be able to handle living on campus by himself, but you do want to let him know that he needs to take precautions to ensure his security. Most dormitories will not allow residents to install security system in their individual dorm rooms. There is simply too much risk of false alarms going off at all times of the day and night. For this reason, it is critical that residents be vigilant and take security matters into their own hands.
First and foremost, make sure your child never leaves his door open when he is not in his room. Dorm doors are designed to close and lock automatically so that residents do not forget to lock them when they leave. Unfortunately, this means that residents have to take their keys with them everywhere, even to the bathroom. It therefore becomes tempting for residents to prop their doors open when they run down the hall to see a friend or pay for a pizza. Open doors are open invitations to burglary. Anyone walking by an open door can see inside and be in and out in mere seconds, taking his valuables with him.
Second, dormitories have rules that state residents should not let anyone into the building who doesn't have a key. Residents should escort strangers to the front desk rather than letting them in to wander around the halls. Just by doing this one simply thing, your child can keep potential burglars out of the building altogether. There are so many people on campus that there is no way to know whether someone is looking for a friend or looking for an opportunity to commit a crime. By following the dorm rules, more of these crimes can be avoided.
You don't want to scare your child into thinking that he won't be able to handle living on campus by himself, but you do want to let him know that he needs to take precautions to ensure his security. Most dormitories will not allow residents to install security system in their individual dorm rooms. There is simply too much risk of false alarms going off at all times of the day and night. For this reason, it is critical that residents be vigilant and take security matters into their own hands.
First and foremost, make sure your child never leaves his door open when he is not in his room. Dorm doors are designed to close and lock automatically so that residents do not forget to lock them when they leave. Unfortunately, this means that residents have to take their keys with them everywhere, even to the bathroom. It therefore becomes tempting for residents to prop their doors open when they run down the hall to see a friend or pay for a pizza. Open doors are open invitations to burglary. Anyone walking by an open door can see inside and be in and out in mere seconds, taking his valuables with him.
Second, dormitories have rules that state residents should not let anyone into the building who doesn't have a key. Residents should escort strangers to the front desk rather than letting them in to wander around the halls. Just by doing this one simply thing, your child can keep potential burglars out of the building altogether. There are so many people on campus that there is no way to know whether someone is looking for a friend or looking for an opportunity to commit a crime. By following the dorm rules, more of these crimes can be avoided.
