| September is almost here and a lot of you will be | | | | to be done concerning campus safety. Learn what |
| packing your kids off to college, some for the first time. | | | | you can do to keep yourself safe and out of |
| For college students, September is the most | | | | dangerous situations. Crime statistics and safety |
| dangerous month of the school year. So much so, that | | | | information are available for your campus. Use it! This |
| it has earned the nickname "The Red Zone." This is | | | | brings me to the second thing you can do, be |
| due to the fact that the combination of new people, | | | | proactive! |
| parties, drugs and alcohol, along with the unfamiliarity of | | | | I can't understand why, after spending a sizable sum of |
| new surroundings can become quite volatile. A high | | | | money on your child's college expenses, you wouldn't |
| percentage of campus crimes are drug or alcohol | | | | spend a few more dollars to equip your student with |
| related. Campus safety is an issue in which parents | | | | the tools to keep him or her safe. You can't rely |
| and students alike need to be involved. There are a | | | | entirely on someone else to do that. Having a personal |
| couple of things you and your student need to do. First | | | | alarm or whistle, pepper spray or small stun gun for |
| is to educate yourself. | | | | personal protection is never a bad idea. Even |
| There is an organization called Security on Campus | | | | something such as a door alarm or door brace for the |
| which has a wealth of information on campus safety | | | | dorm or apartment. These are all small, inexpensive |
| and resources to find crime statistics for a specific | | | | items which could help protect your student when |
| campus. They are a non-profit organization dedicated | | | | things don't go exactly as planned. As always, I would |
| to assisting campus crime victims and the prevention | | | | urge you to get something you are comfortable with, |
| of criminal campus violence. They can go along way | | | | learn its limitations and learn how to use it properly. |
| toward learning what has been done and what needs | | | | Have a safe and memorable year! |