Public Safety Advisories
Click on one of the following bulletins for more details.
Preventing Computer Crime and Identity Theft
As protection against the growing problem of identity theft, members of the BU Medical Center community are urged to store notebook computers safely and securely when not in use.
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America today, according to Paul Stone, MA, investigator, Department of Public Safety at BU Medical Center.
“The identity thief is constantly in search of personal information to be used in the pursuit of unlawful monetary gain,” said Stone. Personal information retrieved from credit cards, driver’s licenses, merchandise returned without receipt and, more recently, e-mail schemes are the most popular methods of surreptitious solicitation of personal data.
In cooperation with the Information Services and Facilities departments, BUMC’s Department of Public Safety has worked to safeguard computerized personal information of the community by installing locking mechanisms on personal computers in most reception areas.
“However, the increasingly popular notebook computer is more difficult to protect,” noted Stone, “and theft of this type of computer equipment, which is more easily concealed by a thief and most often sold quickly ‘on the street’ for cash, remains a serious problem for law enforcement.”
Approximately 6,000 personal computers are in operation throughout the medical campus. To physically protect computer equipment and prevent its unauthorized use, Stone offers the following advice:
- Whenever away from your work station, log off from the program(s) in use
- During an extended absence, particularly at the end of the day, shut down the computer
- Protect passwords by keeping the information in a location unlikely to be found by an intruder
- Keep a record of the computer’s serial number or service tag number
Additionally, Stone reminds the BUMC community that accessing a computer system without authorization is a crime in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as a violation of BUMC policy. To report instances of unauthorized access, call (617) 414-4444.
iPod Study Alert
Study: iPods May Be Cause Of Violent Crime Spike
Crime statistics released recently by the FBI showed violent crime increased in 2005 and 2006, and a new Urban Institute analysis offers evidence that the concurrent explosion in iPod use may have triggered the spike.
The gadgets are not just entertaining and convenient. The high value, visibility, and versatility make the technology “criminogenic” — or “crime-creating,” in the vocabulary of criminologists. And the iPod’s power to distract users can give thieves an advantage. Researchers John Roman and Aaron Chalfin suggest in the report “Is There an iCrime Wave?” that iPods’ popularity with consumers and appeal to criminals may have translated into rising violent crime rates.
Robberies — thefts that use or threaten violence — were up 3.9 percent in 2005 and 6.8 percent in 2006, while theft overall declined by 6 percent and auto theft fell 5 percent over the two-year span. The iPod’s popularity among young people may make it a special target for juvenile offenders, and indeed youth robbery arrests jumped 11 percent in 2005 and 21 percent in 2006. Adult robbery arrests rose only 1 percent in 2005 and 5 percent the following year.
An outbreak of iPod-targeted muggings would be consistent with these numbers, but what share of the increase in robberies is due to these “must have” personal media devices? Empirical data is limited, but anecdotal evidence is mounting.
In the first three months of 2005, major felonies rose 18 percent on New York City’s subways. But if iPod and cell phone thefts are excluded, felonies actually declined by 3 percent. Thus, the Metropolitan Transit Authority now warns riders that “Earphones are a giveaway. Protect your device.” Similar signs appear on BART trains in San Francisco. In Washington, D.C., in the first four months of 2007, robberies of iPods on the subway alone accounted for 4 percent of all robberies citywide, compared with well under 1 percent in 2005.
The BUMC Public Safety Department would like to remind the BUMC community of some safety tips when traveling:
- Stick to well-lit, well-traveled areas. Avoid shortcuts and be aware of your surroundings.
- Do not use iPods or cell phones while on route to your location as you may be distracted and less alert.
- Become familiar with the location of the blue BUMC Public Safety Emergency Call boxes on your travel routes.
- Travel with a friend or in a group when possible.
- Utilize the shuttle services or request a public safety escort after hours. Schedules of shuttle service are available on the General Services website http://www.bumc.bu.edu/Dept/Home.aspx?DepartmentID=166.
- Have your car or building key in hand before you reach the door.
- Program your cell phone to include “911″ for emergencies off campus; BUMC Public Safety Department 617-414-4444 for emergencies on the medical campus and Boston University Police Department 617-353-2121 for emergencies on the Charles River campus.
- Go to the Department of Public Safety website for crime prevention brochures, training schedules and alerts http://www.bumc.bu.edu/Dept/PublicSafety
Security tips section of this site for more information on safety awareness.
iPod and Cellular Telephone Alert
The BUMC Public Safety Department (PSD) does not recommend the use of iPod’s or Cellular Telephones when walking or using public transportation, as they tend to distract you from what and who is around you. An increase in robberies for these devices has been occuring in the City of Boston.
