Wes Jennings. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
University of Mississippi criminologist shares tips on how to avoid becoming a statistic
by Edwin Smith
Phone snatching is a growing problem everywhere, but a University of Mississippi criminologist advises that everybody can take steps to lower their odds of becoming the next victim of criminals.
“Phone snatching is a trend in densely populated or high-traffic areas,” said Wes Jennings, chair and professor of criminal justice and legal studies. “The best strategies involve both personal vigilance and technological safeguards.”
On a personal level, individuals should be aware of their surroundings and minimize phone usage in vulnerable settings, Jennings said. Technologically, using phone-tracking apps, enabling remote lock and wipe capabilities, and securing phones with strong passwords or biometric locks can help deter theft and protect personal information if a phone is stolen.
The most frequent type of crime nationally is larceny, or theft, he said. Violent crime—including murder, rape, aggravated assault and arson—is statistically less common than property crime, such as theft, motor vehicle theft or burglary.
The Ole Miss professor recommends keeping important and valuable items secure and out of plain sight, whether at the home or in your car or truck.
“These all are excellent strategies to reduce your vulnerability,” he said. “In addition, using tracking devices on expensive items such as personal laptops, cell phones, etc. can be useful as well.”
Technology, such as video surveillance systems and mobile apps can play a role in spotting and thwarting criminals, but Jennings warns that modern technologies also provide new opportunities for criminals to strike.
“Specifically, there has been a rise in cybercrime, such as hacking, phishing, identity theft and online theft as criminals use the internet to exploit vulnerabilities in digital systems to steal or ransom sensitive information,” he said. “The dark web also provides a platform for illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal gun sales and human trafficking.
“In addition, complex financial fraud schemes, social media attacks and deepfake technology have become increasingly more utilized by criminals.”
Should you still become a victim of a crime, Jennings advises the following actions:
- Report it to the authorities. Police officers are often the first on the scene, where they may stop a crime in progress and apprehend offenders or suspects.
- Cooperate with crime scene investigators. They secure the crime scene, conduct a systematic search for evidence, collect, preserve and package physical evidence, and photograph the crime scene. They also collect latent evidence, such as fingerprints, chemicals and bodily fluids.
- Don’t be afraid to press charges. If a suspect is apprehended and questioned, the authorities may charge them with the crime. Be committed to seeing that justice is served.
- Be aware of your trauma and learn how to cope with it. Getting back to normal can be a difficult process after a personal experience of this kind, especially for victims of violent crime and their families. Learning to understand and feel more at ease with the intense feelings can help victims better cope with what happened.
- Seek help from friends, family, a member of the clergy, a counselor or a victim assistance professional.
