MICA Department of Campus Safety Crime Awareness & Prevention Program

The Department of Campus Safety informs the campus community about crime awareness and safety. When we receive a report about crime that may have an impact on the College community, a “Security Advisory Report” with information about the specific crime and tips on avoiding similar crimes is distributed to the College community via broadcast email.

The effectiveness of any security program depends on the degree of cooperation and support it receives from those it is designed to protect. Your role in preventing crime is to keep yourself, your apartment, your car, your classroom, and your office safe by incorporating safe behavior into your daily routine.

During New Student Orientation, Campus Safety offers a crime-prevention presentation to develop crime- prevention awareness and distributes educational crime-prevention and awareness materials. Discussions on crime-prevention are held throughout the year and are open to all members of the community.

Certified staff instructors teach progressive co-ed and gender-specific self-defense classes, specifically designed to address the different situations and issues facing today’s men and women. R.A.D. Systems Physical Defense for Women is offered at least once during the academic year.

Personal Safety Tips

There is no perfect way to protect yourself, but there are some simple things you can do to minimize your risk of being a victim of crime.

Basic Street Sense - Assault Robbery Prevention

  1. Criminals don’t “come out of nowhere.” They are hiding on the same pavement you are walking on. When out on the street do not switch off your personal radar. Pay attention to people and vehicles 100 feet from you and assess not only immediate danger, but also the potential for any future danger.
  2. It is important to be aware of your surroundings for both potential threats, and for escape routes. Look around and observe what’s going on near and around you.
  3. Walk with a friend or a group of friends. Walk briskly, know where you are going, and be familiar with an area before traveling it on foot.
  4. Walk with confidence—send the message that you’re calm, aware, and in control. Body language works.
  5. Be aware of anyone approaching or closing the gap. Avoid stopping to answer questions, or responding to some comment or innocuous request.
  6. Report strangers or suspicious activity in the area to Campus Safety and the Baltimore City Police immediately.
  7. Don't let alcohol or drugs fog your judgment.
  8. Avoid walking or jogging alone, especially at night.
  9. Stick to well-lighted and well-traveled areas. At night, try to stay on well-lighted streets. Avoid doorways, shrubbery, dark shadows near buildings, and other potential hiding places.
  10. Avoid taking shortcuts through isolated areas like alleys and parking lots.
  11. Park in well-lit areas, even if you will be gone only a few minutes.
  12. Take the shuttle and use on-campus walking escorts.
  13. Stay away from deserted laundromats or apartment house laundry rooms at night; be cautious in the daytime.
  14. When you take out your wallet, don't reveal your money.
  15. Never leave your purse or backpack unattended.
  16. If someone is following you, cross the street, change directions, vary your pace, or walk in the street.
  17. Try to let someone know where you are going.
  18. Wear comfortable shoes and try to avoid walking distances in high heels, especially at night.
  19. Whistles or Freon horns are good to carry; they might scare off potential attackers.
  20. Don't hitchhike, and don't pick up hitchhikers.
  21. When driving in your car, keep doors locked; always check around and under your car as you approach it. Make sure to look into your car before getting in. Don't let your car surprise you.
  22. In a cab or friend's car, ask the driver to wait until you signal you are safely inside your house before they depart.
  23. Report strangers or suspicious activity in the area immediately to Campus Safety and the Baltimore City Police.
  24. Trust your instincts!

For more information, pick up a Street Sense pamphlet at the Campus Safety office.

Residence and Work-Area Protection

  1. Always lock your door! Even if you are stepping out of your apartment, studio, or office for just a minute, LOCK YOUR DOOR. Nearly all residential burglaries occurring on campus involve entry through an unlocked (though often closed) door.
  2. Be wary of bringing casual acquaintances to your room or home.
  3. Take care of your keys. Don't leave them in your "cubby" or other hiding place.
  4. Close and lock all doors and windows. Even if you leave for a few minutes. Don't leave an open invitation to crime.
  5. Do not prop doors open. If you find a door open on campus, close it or report it to Campus Safety.
  6. Write down the serial numbers of all valuables (stereos, TVs, computers) and keep the list in a safe place. These are critical to property recovery.
  7. Engrave your driver's license number and the issuing state on all valuables, and make sure it is clearly visible. Engravers are available to borrow at the Campus Safety office at no charge.
  8. Do not engrave valuables with your Social Security number. Those numbers are federally protected, and law enforcement agencies are unable to learn an owner's identity if property is recovered.
  9. Never leave your wallet, purse, studio equipment, art supplies, or any other valuables unattended! Practice one of the following safety practices. Lock it, hide it, or watch it.
  10. Notify Campus Safety immediately of any emergency, accident, criminal activity, suspicious person, or conditions.
  11. If your on-campus apartment has been burglarized or you suspect that something is missing, contact Campus Safety. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING! It is very important that you report all thefts, no matter how small, to Campus Safety.
  12. If you live in non-College housing, follow the same procedures, but call the Baltimore City Police Department at 911.
  13. Tips on protection in off-campus residences:
    • Have a peephole installed.
    • Do not open your door unless you know who's on the other side. Be aware of strangers seeking help. Offer to call the police for them, but do not let them in.
    • Use only your last name and first initial on doorbells/mailboxes or in the phone book.
    • Leave lights and a radio tuned to a talk-radio station on when not at home.
    • Ask the landlord to keep shrubbery away from doors and windows.

For more information, pick up an Apartment Safety Guide pamphlet at the Campus Safety Office.

Property Protection

The following are common-sense reminders for protecting your property. Crime prevention denies opportunity. Please remember and practice these tips at all times.

  1. NEVER leave personal belongings unattended, whether in an office, classroom, library, or studio. Wallets, backpacks, and pocketbooks are PRIME TARGETS for the "hit and run" thief. If you must leave belongings in your car, lock them out of sight in the trunk.
  2. Even if you are going to be gone for "just a minute," take your belongings with you.
  3. Don't leave large sums of money in your room.
  4. Write down the serial numbers of all valuables (stereos, TVs, computers) and keep the list in a safe place. These are critical to property recovery.
  5. Engrave your driver's license number and the issuing state on all valuables, and make it is clearly visible. Engravers are available to borrow at the Campus Safety office at no charge.
  6. Do not engrave valuables with your Social Security number. Those numbers are federally protected, and law enforcement agencies are unable to learn an owners identity if property is recovered.

Sexual Assault Prevention

  1. Be alert and look around at all times; rapists look for easy victims. Walk briskly and know where you are going.
  2. Take the time to walk with friends; arrange your schedule to minimize the times you are alone in unsafe places.
  3. At night, use the shuttle and escort system. Don't walk alone.
  4. Even when in groups, avoid deserted and dangerous places, even in the daytime. At night, stay on well-lighted streets; avoid doorways, bushes, and other potential hiding places. At night, walk down the center of a street if possible, or stay near the curb. Keep one hand free. Walk facing traffic. Vary your walking routes. Know where you can find help on regular routes.
  5. Avoid working late at night or on weekends in isolated areas.
  6. In the residence halls, never prop open common-area doors or sleep with your room door unlocked. Don't let people you don't know into the residence halls.
  7. Think through possible actions you would take if confronted by a rapist. Know your strength and speed.
  8. Know how to use unconventional weapons such as keys, a comb, or a pen.
  9. Have your house/car keys out and ready when you get to your home/car.
  10. Listen to your instincts. Don't hesitate to get help in any way necessary, if you sense danger.
  11. Yelling "fire" is said to bring assistance faster than a call of "help" or "rape."
  12. Be familiar with and use the Campus Safety services: dial ext. 2245 for an escort to walk you to your car or a campus building. Use the campus shuttle vans.

Dating

  1. When you feel uncomfortable in a situation, trust your instincts.
  2. When you mean "no," say "NO." Don't allow room for misinterpretation by being ambiguous in your actions. Be firm. You should communicate your intentions and limits early.
  3. Don't immediately trust a new friend. Remember, trust must be earned.
  4. Control the environment. You should be the one to choose or agree to the dating activity and location.
  5. Be alert to diminished awareness caused by alcohol and drugs. When you lose control because of impaired judgment, you give the advantage to a would-be assailant.
  6. Don't allow others to violate your personal space.