# Crime Awareness and Home Security Part of the Safety Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/safety/guide/index.md) *3. Crime Prevention* > **3.** Do the following: This section is about awareness, not paranoia. The goal is to understand the kinds of crimes that can affect teens, then look at your own home the way a criminal might: Where are the weak points? What makes the place easier or harder to target? ## Requirement 3a > **3a.** Explain common types of crimes that can affect teens. Teens can be affected by crimes in person, online, at school, during travel, or through someone they know. Some crimes involve direct violence. Others involve pressure, deception, or taking advantage of trust. ### Common types of crimes that can affect teens - **Theft** — phones, bikes, backpacks, cash, or gaming accounts taken or stolen - **Burglary** — someone entering a home, garage, or car to steal property - **Robbery** — theft using force, threat, or intimidation - **Fraud and scams** — fake sales, fake job offers, phishing, or payment app tricks - **Assault** — physical attacks or threats of violence - **Sexual abuse or exploitation** — grooming, coercion, assault, or image-based abuse - **Harassment and stalking** — repeated unwanted contact in person or online - **Vandalism and property damage** — damage to belongings, homes, schools, or vehicles A key point for your counselor discussion: crimes against teens often depend on opportunity. A thief looks for an unlocked bike. A scammer looks for someone who clicks quickly. A bully looks for a target who feels isolated. Good safety habits remove opportunities. > **Tip** > > When explaining crimes that affect teens, connect each one to a real situation: school parking lot, gaming account, group chat, dating situation, public transit, or home alone after school. ### Warning signs matter Crime prevention often starts before the crime is complete. Warning signs may include: - someone pushing boundaries after you said no - a stranger asking for private information or photos - someone trying to isolate you from friends - pressure to meet secretly or hide communication - a person checking doors, windows, or cars in a neighborhood ## Requirement 3b > **3b.** Using a Home Security Checklist in the Safety merit badge pamphlet or one approved by your counselor, inspect your home or a similar building for crime security measures with an adult. Review your checklist and findings with your counselor. Home security is about making a place harder to enter, easier to observe, and less attractive to target. During your inspection, pay attention to what slows a criminal down and what gives them privacy. ### Things to inspect - doors that lock solidly - windows that latch correctly - outdoor lighting near entries - trimmed shrubs around windows and doors - garage and side-yard access - visibility of valuables from outside - alarm signs, cameras, or motion lights if present A smart home security review is specific. Instead of writing "house was secure," note findings like: - back gate latch broken - porch light burned out - ladder stored beside accessible second-floor window - side door lock strong but hidden from street view **What criminals like** — Weaknesses your inspection should look for - [ ] **Easy entry**: Unlocked windows, weak doors, spare keys in obvious places. - [ ] **Poor visibility**: Dark corners, overgrown bushes, hidden side paths. - [ ] **Low effort payoff**: Phones, bikes, tools, and packages left in plain view. - [ ] **Predictable habits**: Empty-house signals like piled-up mail or no lights on for days. ## Official Resources [Home Security Checklist (PDF)](https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Merit_Badge_ReqandRes/Requirement%20Resources/Crime%20Prevention/Home%20Security%20Checklists%20%231%20%232.pdf): A room-by-room and outside-area checklist for spotting common home security weaknesses. > **Be Prepared! If you notice a serious security gap** > > Do not try to fix every problem by yourself. > > - **Document what you found** on the checklist. > - **Tell the adult helping you** why it matters. > - **Recommend the simplest useful fix first** such as better lighting, a repaired lock, or moving valuables out of sight. > - **Review the result with your counselor** so they can see how you evaluated the risk. Criminals count on people being distracted, rushed, or uncertain. In the next requirement, you will take that same awareness into hotels, stadiums, camps, and other public places where fast decisions matter. --- - Previous: [Home Safety Plans](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/safety/guide/req2/index.md) - Next: [Public Place Emergencies](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/safety/guide/req4/index.md)