Is the Growing Popularity of Home Security Systems Correlated to Falling Crime Rates?

May 21, 2020 – Please welcome Susan Doktor, a journalist and business strategist who hails from New York City. This is her first contribution to 21st Century Tech Blog. Susan writes on a wide range of subjects, including finance, technology, consumer products, and government affairs. You can follow her on Twitter @branddoktor and send your comments to this posting here.

How many times have you heard someone say, “The world is a dangerous place?” There is a popular perception that crime is on the rise and no place on the planet is safe. But that belief is at odds with the data. Even in countries with high crime rates, crime is falling. Intentional homicides, in particular, have decreased or remained flat in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The exception to this general trend is Africa where rates of certain crimes are increasing. Higher crime rates, not surprisingly, are associated with poorer countries that have less of an investment in law enforcement.    

Why Are We Safer?

Although there are many reasons why crime is in general decline, the growing popularity of home security systems is an important factor. There appears to be a correlation between the popularity of home security systems and reductions in such crimes as burglary and home invasion. It’s not difficult to make that connection and apparently, a lot of people are. That may explain why the global market for home security systems has been growing steadily and the industry is well-positioned to see this continue for the next several years. 

Beyond the perception that our world is becoming more dangerous, it’s interesting to look at what’s propelling growth in home security systems. Certain life events, like buying a new home or starting a family, often trigger these purchases. But one of the most powerful drivers has been innovation in the systems themselves.  

Better, cheaper, more fun. 

The best home security systems offer more protection than they did a decade ago and, by offering do-it-yourself (DIY) installation and self-monitoring options, they do so at a lower cost.  What’s more, they tap right into consumers’ fascination with and eager adoption of smart home technology which is enjoying a dramatic growth far greater than what we’re seeing in home security systems alone.

From home entertainment to climate control, consumers love the convenience and control smart home products offer. Watch some smart home enthusiasts in action and see how delighted they are to show off the apps and gadgets that take inventory of their refrigerators, open their garage doors, and give them sound bites of their parrots saying something amusing.

Weighing the Options

If you’re thinking of acquiring a home security system, there are a few questions to ask yourself before deciding what is right for you. The first is simply, what kind of property are you trying to protect? If you’re living in a single-family home with multiple entries and dozens of windows, your security system needs are very different than those of high-rise apartment dwellers who may only need to protect a single entryway, and perhaps a balcony door if expecting Spiderman’s evil twin. 

Then there’s the question of what’s inside your home. We’re not just talking about jewelry and expensive electronics. The instinct to protect kids is among the most powerful emotions parents experience. Safeguarding our children continues to be a prevailing motivation for installing a home security system. The number of single parents and those managing dual-income homes continues to rise, leaving more children left unattended at home for longer periods. We want to see what’s going on with our kids and talk to them in real-time and not just hear about it later. Systems that incorporate cameras and integrate with smartphones equip us to do that more effectively. We gain peace of mind and fulfill a deep-seated obligation. It’s not surprising, therefore, that parents have been among the first to embrace systems that incorporate cameras and remote visual monitoring. 

Knowledge and Control

Home security systems offer both knowledge and control. Ask yourself how much of each you want. Simple systems alert you and your local first responders when your home has been breached, the basic premise of all home security systems. This may be all you need.

But perhaps you’d like to be able to monitor the front door and prevent a breach before it happens. Some systems allow you to speak remotely through your “doorbell” to anyone approaching the home. You can issue a warning or just give the impression that someone is at home to discourage intruders. Other systems allow you to grant access on a case-by-case basis to people you wish to let into your home, for example, a plumber that you’ve called in an emergency or your regular housekeeper.

What’s Security Worth to You?

There are probably as many pricing plans out there as there are home security systems. More features typically mean more money. But unless you choose to self-monitor which can be time-consuming,  and generally is not recommended by security experts, you can expect the largest part of your home security budget to go to fees paid to a professional monitoring service.

Some of these companies allow month-by-month purchases of monitoring services. Others require longer-term contracts and may impose cancellation fees. Read any contract you sign carefully. In particular, find out who is responsible for paying false alarm fees. Most communities impose them because they don’t want first responders called to a scene needlessly.

A good practice is to ask neighbors who have security systems how often their systems go off without a true cause to avoid equipment that is false alarm-prone. 

Ways to Save

As mentioned earlier there are a number of products available that offer DIY installation. By all means, explore that option. But DIY is a relative term. If you live in a very large home, have selected a system with a large number of components, or simply aren’t that mechanically-inclined, you may find hiring a professional installer a better value in the long run. On a positive note, most homeowner’s insurance companies offer policy discounts for homes protected by security systems. Should you decide to install one, contact your insurer. The money you save will offset the cost of professional installation or system monitoring down the road.