More than 25 years ago, the National Crime Prevention Council—and McGruff the Crime Dog—designated October Crime Prevention Month. That makes this a good time to think about the safety and security of our homes, our schools and our communities.

We all worry about how safe our families—and our possessions—are. We all wonder, at least occasionally, whether an intruder could possibly get into our homes. When it comes to home invasion, most burglars get in through windows and doors. So what can be done to keep homes more secure against break-ins? There are common-sense things you should do—like keep your windows and doors locked, and remove shrubs and trees from in front of your windows so possible intruders don’t have any hiding spots. But, depending on the home, maybe more drastic measures should be considered—like replacing old, un-secure windows or doors with newer, laminated glass models.

More ideas for making homes more intruder-resistant can be found on NCPC’s web site at http://www.ncpc.org/topics/home-and-neighborhood-safety . Or see Gorell’s “10 Window & Door Security Tips” at http://www.gorell.com/pages/gorell_mcgruff.htm .