Emily’s Crime Watch – Tip #2

Emily’s main driving force in Compulsion is to track down child abductors and child murderers in order to have them brought to justice. She feels that it’s most important to protect the innocent from the evil in society at all costs. This has cost Emily the opportunity of a normal life with a family of her own, but she feels it’s all worth it when she’s able to contribute to the safe return of a child.

It is absolutely imperative today that parents and guardians know all the resources to better safeguard children. It is important to stay alert, informed, and vigilant about all child safety issues and personal information.

According the U.S. Department of Justice, approximately 40% of all child abductions were victims of opportunity.

Here are five basic tips about how to prevent a potential child abduction or kidnapping:

1. Teach your children to run away from danger. Explain to your children to run away from danger. If someone tries to grab them, tell them to make a scene by yelling and saying that this person is not their parent or guardian. If a car is following them, tell them to turn around and run the other way to another trusted adult.

2. Talk openly to your children about personal safety. It’s important to encourage your children to tell you or another trusted adult if someone ever makes them feel scared or uncomfortable. Discuss safety issues with them. Pay attention and listen to your children. Make your children a part of securing your home, such as with alarms, locks, lighting, and have a family plan in case of an emergency.

3. Be alert and aware to your surroundings. Prepare your children with “what if” scenarios so that they’re well prepared in case of an emergency. Design and teach them “escape routes” in different emergencies. Also, know how to reach the nearest local law enforcement agency.

4. Take steps to secure personal information. Be private and discreet about your family’s personal habits and information. Consider opening a post office box, if you don’t already have one, and registering everything with that address including vehicles and driver’s licenses. It’s important to have your personal bills sent to the post office box or place of employment. Take these simple steps of not revealing any personal information about your family and report anything to authorities that seems to be irregular.

5. Report any suspicious activity or individuals to law enforcement. If you feel that someone in your family has been targeted or being stalked, report this information to law enforcement immediately.


By taking these five simple steps, you are ensuring more safety for your entire family. Remember, you are best resource for your children and always know where your children are at all times. Stay vigilant, informed, and alert. Emily wants all children to be happy and safe!

Emily Stone's Crime Watch – Tip #1

Emily Stone is the heroine in my novel Compulsion. She expertly tracks down pedophiles and serial killers and then anonymously emails her entire investigation to the police detective in charge of the case. She’s definitely one high-tech super sleuth that gets the job done as more criminals are taken off the streets. Her compulsion is to make sure that children, neighbors, and communities are safe from crime.

I want everyone to be safe from crime. I will be posting a weekly crime and safety tip that I know Emily would not hesitate tell you first hand.

This week is about personal safety for women outside of the home. It’s important not to become a target for a potential crime and there are a few tips that will help to keep you safe when traveling from one destination to the next.

Try and remember these three basic tips when you’re out in public areas:

1. Alert – be prepared and alert to where you are going and what you’re going to be doing next. Don’t get distracted by searching through your purse for keys or dialing your cell phone as you leave work or a shopping area. This makes you unaware of what’s going on around you and who could be watching you. It could potentially make you a crime target. If you are walking out to a parking lot have your key or alarm release ready. Get inside your vehicle and lock your doors before you do anything that takes your mind off the immediate surroundings.

2. Confidence – move and walk with confidence. That means make eye contact and carry your body straight with your shoulders back and down looking straight ahead. Confidence can be a valuable defense tactic and it can go a long way to help deter being a potential crime victim.

3. Observe – take a few seconds to observe your surroundings. It can be just a quick glance in several directions or studying something in more detail. If something doesn’t look or seem right to you, then retreat back into a public area for assistance. Also, if you notice something that seems out of place remember simple things, such as the exact location, description of all people involved, cars or objects, and exactly what you observed. This can be extremely important information to police investigations.

I actually carry a small spiral notebook, something that I can slip into a pocket or purse, to record anything that I feel looks out of place in public locations. That way I can refer to my notes if something ever transpires from the observed situation.

If you ever feel that you are in any danger or witness any type of crime, don’t hesitate to call the police immediately.