Security

How secure are public places really? Since the Virginia Tech shootings many college campuses have felt the need to bump up the security. However, does this increase in security actually help prevent crime? For example say you have to have an ID card to open buildings on campus. The fact that it is locked may make students feel at ease and assume that nothing is likely to go wrong. Yet some students hold the doors open, thus, inviting unexpected visitors in. Another example is in my neighborhood we have security guards that patrol the neighborhood 24/7. Naturally, I assume that a burglary is unlikely to happen, because the security guards would see something. Unfortunately one night 7 houses on my street were robbed.
Though an increase in security may reduce random assaults, I believe its unlikely to prevent pre meditated ones. If someone really wants to do something they will wait for the opportune time. On the other hand, if you increase security even more it can became a bother or result in the loss of your privacy. I often hear people complaining at air ports about how strict they are; you can’t even carry a liquid on the plane over a certain oz amount, and even legal items must be in a plastic bag, or you have to throw them out. How much of our privacy are we wiling to give up for a little extra protection, and does this extra security actually prevent anything, or is it just to make us feel better?
I personally believe that it is at least worth a try to heighten security. It is impossible to get the amount of security needed to make sure nothing will happen. It doesn’t matter if you are in a public or private place; you are still not safe. Anyone could just walk up and threaten you with a gun. You must be on guard at all times in order to truly protect yourself. Even when people go shopping, they get mugged in the parking lot.
It is sad that we have come to the point where it is hard to trust anyone. Last week a random guy came up to me in a parking lot. He was asking for fifty cents for a bus fair. Even though I had fifty cents, I was scared to give it to him. I was alone, and I kept thinking about how if I got out my wallet that he would snatch it and run away with it, or perhaps do something worse. I know I am not the only person that would do the same in this situation. There have been so many con artists, that it is hard to know who really needs help. I would hope if I was ever in this man’s situation that someone would help me out, but I am not sure it would happen.