[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 131 (Monday, September 19, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                            A SAFER AMERICA

                                 ______


                          HON. CHRISTOPHER COX

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 19, 1994

  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, in the time it took me to put on my tie this 
morning, another California home was burglarized. Incredibly, according 
to the Department of Justice, a California home is burglarized every 13 
seconds. Over 400,000 California residents and almost 3 million 
citizens nationwide will be the victims of a residential burglary this 
year.
  The average victim of a burglary will lose more than $1,200 in 
property. But statistics cannot address the feelings of vulnerability 
and lost sense of security that stay with victims long after the 
material loss has been forgotten. More frightening, still, is the 
increasing frequency with which burglaries are escalating into violent 
crimes.
  In 1992, over 80,000 people in California were arrested for 
committing burglary. In spite of all the efforts of a great number of 
highly qualified and dedicated law enforcement people, residential 
burglary continues to plague our communities, both metropolitan and 
rural.
  While some people simply throw up their hands in frustration at a 
problem this large, others are taking positive steps. One California 
company, Kwikset Corp., a manufacturer of residential locksets, has set 
out to solve this problem. Kwikset has funded a program called A Safer 
America, a grassroots public awareness and education program aimed at 
reducing residential burglaries. It provides the public with 
information on the dangers of residential burglary and hints on how 
they can better protect their homes and families.
  Developed under the guidance of a board of advisors consisting of 
crime experts and law enforcement representatives, A Safer America 
draws upon the experience and knowledge of the people who have written 
the state-of-the-art books on residential crime prevention.
  The cornerstone of the Safer America Program is community education. 
A Safer America works in conjunction with Neighborhood Watch and 
Habitat for Humanity groups to provide every homeowner with simple, 
low-cost deterrents, which can dramatically reduce the chances of 
becoming a victim of this very personal crime. In over 40 percent of 
reported burglaries, for instance, the burglar entered the home 
thorough an unlocked door or window. There are many other simple 
precautions homeowners can take to deter would-be burglars and to 
protect themselves and their families.
  But educational materials by themselves are not enough to solve a 
problem of this magnitude. Herein lies the most important feature of A 
Safer America: people power. A Safer America utilizes volunteers from 
the local community to help distribute the materials and show neighbors 
that together as a community, they can make a difference.
  This combination of knowledge from the experts, educational 
materials, and the enthusiasm and spirit of the volunteers and citizens 
of a community make for a winning combination and will help to make 
America a safer place. A Safer America is a program that deserves our 
recognition and our thanks. At a time of frustration in America, when 
many have come to believe that society's problems are intractable, A 
Safer America is a poignant reminder that dedicated individuals working 
toward a common goal can always make a difference.

                          ____________________