Press Release: September 30th, 2010 NCPM Article 1/5
For Immediate Release: Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa Announces October is National Crime Prevention Month

Amite, LA – Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa is celebrating Crime Prevention Month. In 1984, the National Crime Prevention Council designated October Crime Prevention Month. Every year since then, government agencies, civic groups, schools, businesses, and youth organizations have reached out to educate the public about public safety, crime prevention, and crime awareness during this special month.

In the month of October, Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa will be recognizing and celebrating the practice of crime prevention, while promoting awareness of important issues such as victimization, volunteerism, and creating safer, more caring communities. The month-long celebration spotlights successful Crime prevention efforts on the local, state, and national levels. Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa will be participate by sharing safety tips with the public along with the providing resources the public can use to protect themselves, their families and homes, and their businesses.

Specifically, Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa will be providing information on how you can Celebrate Safe Communities – October 7th -9th (article 2/5), various personal safety tips including internet safety for teens and parents (article 3/5), tips for parents, teens, and young adults on the dangers of underage drinking and driving (article 4/5), and Halloween safety tips for the entire family (article 5/5).

The NCPC encourages action during Crime Prevention Month. Recent national headlines about spikes in violent crime have people fearful for their safety and their family’s safety. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) says people can bite back against crime during Crime Prevention Month.

NCPC says preventing crime takes action by each individual citizen. A community with rampant crime is a community that lacks citizen involvement and partnership with local law enforcement. Everyone can do something to prevent crime, from helping police identify crime problems, starting a Neighborhood Watch, or taking commonsense steps to protect their homes and property.

In 2006, more than 23 million people were victims of personal and property crimes, at a cost of more than $400 billion a year – far more than the current estimated costs of recovery from Hurricane Katrina. “Twenty three million victims of crime is 23 million too many,” said then NCPC President and CEO, Alfonso E. Lenhardt. “If we want to prevent crime, it takes each of us working with citizens, law enforcement, the business community, faith-based groups, and all levels of government.”

For more than 29 years NCPC has stressed that citizen involvement in crime prevention plays a vital role in helping many communities stay safe. To help people get involved in preventing crime, each year NCPC produces its Crime Prevention Month Kit, which provides strategies, reproducible safety tip brochures, and ideas for getting community residents involved in prevention activities that make their neighborhood safer.

For this years’ Crime Prevention Month Kit, NCPC is excited to launch a new initiative, the Circle of Respect. “This initiative, builds on their history of leadership and innovation in crime prevention over the years. They believe that “Respect” is an important element in all that each of us do and that a person with respect for his or her community and its citizens is less likely to join or contribute to a gang, commit relationship violence, engage in workplace violence, cyber bullying, or sexting. The NCPC firmly believes that if we encourage respect, we can have an impact on crime and how individuals treat one another.” says current NCPC President and CEO, Ann M. Harkins.

The Circle of Respect’s mission is “To Promote respect as a way to manage conflict and prevent criminal behavior.” Through this initiative, NCPC will address many forms of crime that demonstrate a relational disconnect between individuals and communities.

For more information or to obtain a free downloadable Crime Prevention Month Kit as well as additional free crime prevention resources, visit NCPC’s website at www.ncpc.org or www.circleofrespect.org

Please call Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa if you have information to share about a crime. Call our anonymous tip line 1-800-554-5245 (JAIL) or visit www.tangicrimestoppers.comYou will never be asked for your name and you may be eligible for a cash reward if your information leads to an arrest.

Article submitted by Jodie Powell, CEO/Executive Director Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa, Inc.

Sources, excerpts, and information from National Crime Prevention Council(www.ncpc.org), NCPC Press Release dated September 26, 2006, & 2010-2011 Crime Prevention Month Kit.