7 Essential Resources to See If Your Neighborhood is Safe

A guest post…
With the number of crimes being on the rise, it’s no wonder that people worry about their safety. Understanding the level of crimes and their intensity and frequency can be important to ensure that you keep your family safe in your own home. Fortunately, there are some great resources to check into to be sure that you are doing whatever you can to keep your family safe.
The reality is that you want to know what’s going on around you. You may think that you know your neighbors, but even the most trivial crime can turn into something of concern as a parent. You want the best for your kids and a big part of that is being able to provide a safe environment. Knowing your neighbors is important but being aware of any criminals or potential criminal activity can be the best thing you can do to protect your child.

Some of the resources will provide you with a full explanation of the types of crimes that your neighbor may have committed. Perhaps the next door neighbor was convicted of statutory rape when he was 18 for example, but it’s been two years and the victim in question is now of age. You not only want to see if your neighbors were ever involved in any sort of criminal activity, but you want to know the nature of the crime as well. As a parent you want to do whatever you can to protect your children and these resources will help you to learn what is really going on in your neighborhood.
1. Family Watchdog – If you’re wondering if there are any registered sex offenders or criminals at all for that matter, then this is the website for you. You can run a search through a variety of different criteria to see firsthand what sort of people you’re dealing with. Plug in your address and see if there are any potential risks or dangers nearby. A great way to keep your family safe!
2. Spot Crime – This is an excellent resource to use to find out what sort of criminals may be living nearby. When you type in your address, you will quickly see a representation of not only how many criminals there are in your neighborhood, but also the type of offense that they have to keep you aware and safe.
3. City Data Forums–Depending on your city, you can find some excellent forums by which to chat with neighbors nearby online or to learn about the activity level of your neighborhood. Though this isn’t a direct way of finding out the level of criminal activity, it can be enlightening. It can even be a way to ensure that a neighborhood watch is in place and sign on to be a part of it.
4. Crime Reports – Though this may not work for every city out there, it is getting more populated. This is an especially helpful site for those who live in larger metropolitan areas who are looking for some answers in terms of the crimes that are being committed there day after day. Definitely worth checking out to see if you can access the actual reports for neighbors that may be involved in criminal activity.
5. FBI Uniform Crime Reports – These may be larger crimes that you’re dealing with as the information is released by the FBI itself, but you know that the statistics contained within will be accurate. You can sort this by city and get into detailed information that pertains to your whereabouts specifically.
6. Local Newspaper – It may sound like an oldie, but it certainly is a goodie in terms of finding out what is going on in your local neighborhood. You can find out about even the most minor crimes being committed right in your backyard. If there is a website associated with your local paper, it may be worth visiting for information in real time.
7. Every Block – This is the most specific information you can get on neighborhood safety as it can narrow down your search to your actual block. If you are worried about neighborhood safety or have suspicions about a neighbor, then this is the place to check out your hunches. You can see the level of activity going on literally right next door.
Keeping you and yours safe is one of the most important jobs that you have. Use these resources to know what your risks are now and for every possible future move.
Guest blogger Mary Ward writes about various legal career topics, including how to obtain a court reporting degree.