Every Predator's BIG Fear

Every slimeball's biggest fear is the fear of getting caught.

Why do you think criminals commit crimes? I used to think that it was
because the punishment wasn't great enough. But you know what? Most
criminals do it because they think they can get away with it. No one ever
thinks they will be facing the death penalty. "It won't happen to me!!!"
Considering most teenagers never think anything bad can happen to them,
it's not hard to comprehend that most criminals never think they will get
caught.

Mandatory sentences for violent crimes have done little, if anything, to
stem the wave of crime in this country.

Frequent travel to London put a new light on the subject for me. The
British also have stiff sentences for violent crimes. But violent crime is
relatively low. True, much of that has to do with the values of their
society. But something else intrigued me while I was there. Video cameras.
Everywhere. In the subways, along sidewalks, even on top of every major
intersection. The locals told me that the cameras automatically record
anyone running a red light. The law enforcement officials simply mail you
a ticket. The result? No one ever runs a red light. You see very few
constables on the street. Some mounted on horseback, some at major
governmental facilities. But no huge police presence to thwart crime. Just
the video cameras. It's estimated in some sections of London that you will
appear on between 70 and 80 cameras during the day. (Law enforcement
officials there have had very good luck with a sophisticated system which
can hone in on faces in the crowd and recognize criminals).

That experience, matched with recent personal experiences in
confrontations, have directed me to a new theory on crime deterrence --
It's not the severity of the punishment which is the deterrent, it's the
certainty of getting caught.

For example, I was caught in a confrontation with a maniac in a van one time.
Like many people on the freeway, when the dirty old van careened across
two lanes to exit barely missing my car, I honked my horn. O.K, that was
my first mistake.
This guy was absolutely crazy. He slammed on his brakes in front of me. He
swerved violently toward me, both moves to punish me for having the
audacity to honk at him.

The light turned red and, my luck, I was stuck in traffic next to him. He
sneered out the window at me. His tattooed arm opened the door to the
rusted orange van. He leaned out, half in the van. Then the obscenities
began.

My mind ran over the possibilities: He doesn't look to be in top physical
condition...about 170 pounds...I could get out and keep my car in between
us...I could drive off into the dirt construction area to my left for more
room...

A couple of problems. I don't know if he has a weapon. If he doesn't, then
I could easily beat him in a fight. But, if I got out of the car, would I
now become the aggressor and lose the legal protection of self-defense?
Also, I had my seven-year-old son in the car. What if he got injured? What
if I got injured?

Then I stopped thinking. I controlled my breathing and "got my sparring
face on". I gazed -- not looked -- gazed at him, taking in all of his
movements. I started my mantra in my mind, “here he comes...here he
comes...here he comes...”
Now he started getting nervous. His obscenities slowed. Now I started
going into my "cop" mode. I took a great interest in his van. I noted the
color, the make, the model. He hesitated.

Then I craned my neck to catch his license plate. His thinking process
began again. You could see it in his face. He knew I was getting his plate
number and suddenly -- he stopped. He looked at me and I smiled. He
quickly climbed back into the van with his female companion berating him
for causing a scene.

It works.

If I want to get rid of someone without a problem, I just take down -- or
appear to take down -- his plate number. You can see a major attitude
change going on in just a few seconds.

A Rape Escape graduate named Angie thanked me for telling her of this
particular technique. She was traveling on an interstate highway on
business when she noticed a delivery truck matching her speed. If she
slowed, it slowed. If she accelerated, it accelerated.

It became obvious that the two males in the truck had plans for her, from
simply ogling her at the least to something more sinister at the worst.
Angie remembered what I told her from the story about the orange van. She
picked up a pen and paper in her car and made a great show of noticing the
markings on the side of the delivery van and slowed to get the license
plate. The lights went on inside the two knuckledraggers’ craniums – they
quickly took the next exit off the interstate.

Got a problem with gangs of juveniles hanging around the park? I did. Make
a show of taking down license numbers. Shine a flashlight on the plate to
make sure any intellectually-challenged youths get the idea. Bingo. No
problem.

Some man harassing you? "What did you say your name was again?", you ask
as you begin dialing your cellular phone. Watch for a quick disappearing
act.
Cellular phones are great. A private student of mine drives a very nice,
very classy (and very expensive) Mercedes. One night a pickup load of
teens stopped next to him at a stoplight. Pumped with the courage of the
group and the testosterone of teens, the lowlifes started getting out of
the truck while verbally abusing and challenging John to fight.

John looked at them, showed them the cellular phone as he dialed 911 and
smiled. End of the truckload of troublemakers.

Polaroid cameras are great. The sheriff's office uses them with great
relish when we arrest or question suspected gang members. Now the gang
members know that we have their photo on file, which might just make them
rethink any ideas about committing additional crimes.

Use yours to take a photo of a suspicious vehicle or person. Not only will
the object of your photography now know that a record has been taken of
him, but the Polaroids are easy to hand to an investigating officer.

Don’t have a Polaroid? The new digital cameras are great. So is any video
camera. I have used the video camera to catch suspicious persons and I can
narrate onto the soundtrack and provide details like license plate
numbers. The date and time on the video tape is good evidence also.

Going on a date to somebody's house? Maybe you are not completely
comfortable yet in the relationship. Make an arrangement to call someone
every hour. Give them the address and phone number of his place. Tell him
it's so your service can reach you for the important contract that you are
expecting to come through any minute...

Cops leave what's called a "deadman's sheet" every time they investigate a
suspicious vehicle. Most of the time they call dispatch and read off the
plate before they approach the vehicle. But if they don't, the officer
writes down the plate number on his deadman's sheet and sticks it under
the seat. If anything happens on that stop, fellow officers at least have
the plate of the last vehicle stopped.

For you, you can use your own answering machine for the same use. But,
make your call within earshot of your date. The object isn't to keep it a
secret, you want him to know that other people know you are with him.
Obviously, it is implied that if anything happens to you -- HE WILL BE
CAUGHT.

On the street, to instill the fear of being caught, you can use loud,
attention-getting devices like screaming, a police whistle or a personal
alarm. I also like screaming as your personal alarm. It is always with you, never
runs out of batteries, and cannot give off a false alarm. Plus, the price
is definitely right. Used together, a personal alarm and your screams make a great
attention-getting team.

 Use this weakness against the bad guys.  Fight back, but fight smart.