Security is something every homeowner has to consider. Home break-ins are scary, but they also are unfortunately realistic. In order for people to feel safe in their own home, they have to take matters into their own hands.
With advanced technology, there are several options for how to increase home security. It’s up to the homeowner’s judgment with what methods they use and how many layers of protection they install in their homes. From security cameras to self-defense weapons, there are endless options.
There’s no right or wrong way to protect your home. A recent survey by security company Kastle mapped out trends in home protection across the United States. They revealed trends by region in how Americans choose to secure themselves and their belongings.
The Northeast Experiences A Lot of Break-ins
Compared to approximately 20% in the rest of the states, nearly half of people living in the northeast say they have experienced a break-in while away from the home. On the bright side, only 14% experienced a break-in while away from home – the lowest percentage of the four American regions. Whether home or not, an intruder is a scary situation. It’s hard to pinpoint what makes one region as a whole more susceptible to crime than others – but trends in their security habits reveal how cautious a population is being.
How Common Are Home Defense Weapons?
Under a quarter of northeasterners own a home defense weapon, compared to 37% of midwesterners, 35% of southerners, and 33% of westerners. This could explain the high rates of crime while victims are home. Knowing these stats, criminals have the best opportunity to successfully commit a theft or robbery in the northeast targeting defenseless victims.
Regardless of your own personal opinions towards self-defense weapons, they can be a helpful asset in the case of an emergency. There are several non-lethal alternatives to guns including pepper spray, tasers, baseball bats, etc. Additionally, people can protect themselves by attending self-defense classes to make them more prepared to defend themselves.
Self-defense weapons seem to be becoming more popular as time progresses. Only 24% of baby boomers own a self-defense weapon, compared to 41% of millennials. Self-defense weapons have always been an option, they are just recently becoming more viewed as a necessary component of the home. Perhaps the northeasterners will eventually adapt to this trend as millennials have, or they simply feel more confident in their abilities to defend themselves.
Using Technology at the Frontline
Unlike old-fashioned self-defense weapons, technology is a relatively new addition to home security. These advancements are becoming more affordable and can take personal safety to the next level, allowing homeowners to keep an eye on their home from anywhere in the world. Similar to self-defense weapons, the younger generations are more likely to install these features. 45% of millennials use electronic security systems and 36% use smart home security systems.
With this trend, we can hope that crime will reduce as the population ages. The younger population is much more cautious when it comes to personal safety, and it will be interesting to see how this impacts crime rates as time progresses.
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