How Can a Felon Protect Their Home?

Protecting your place of residence is on every homeowner’s mind; they want to make sure that their house and those inside are safe from the countless dangers outside. How can a felon protect their home? This blog post will answer this question and provide successful strategies that felons can use to keep their home safe.

How to Keep Your Home Safe.

Everyone wants to feel safe within their home. Felon or not, there is peace of mind knowing that your home is safe. There are many different ways to keep your home safe; from installing a security system to choosing to own a firearm, we will examine the best options for felons to use to keep their home safe and secure.

Later in the article we will cover some of the best products and/or services on the market for home protection. Right now, this section will cover basic practices to start using in your daily routine that can automatically make your home safer.

Close the blinds and lock all doors if possible.

Before you head to work, try to lock up; locking all of your doors, even if other family members are home can prevent intruders from just walking in your home. If the door is unlocked, it is not even considered breaking and entering since the intruders did not have to alter or damage anything in your home to gain access inside. Locking your doors may seem obvious, but there are many robberies that have happened simply due to an unlocked door, so double check.

Closing all of the blinds and windows can also save you from a home robbery. Thieves love to look through windows to see if anyone is home, they also look through them to see what they can steal inside. If possible, close all the windows and blinds in your home.

Keep a small light on.

Robbers are not a fan of the light. In the mind of a robber, a light on inside means someone is home. Thief’s are more likely to rob a house that shows no sign of life or movement. A simple kitchen light can be enough to deter a thief.

Consider leaving a car in the driveway.

If your household has multiple cars, consider leaving one in the driveway. As we said earlier, intruders do not like signs of life. By having a car in the driveway, possible robbers will be deterred by thinking someone is home. Be careful with this tactic however, because if the thieves are “casing your home”, they will catch on that the car just sits there, so consider moving it every couple days.

Restrictions Felons Face When Protecting Their Home.

One of the biggest restriction’s felons face is the fact that they are not allowed to own or possess a firearm. Having a firearm in your home is a great way to keep yourself and those you love safe in the event of a break-in. For felons, finding out that they are unable to own a firearm can leave them feeling vulnerable.

Many felons turn to deadly alternatives such as using a crossbow or a knife to defend their home. It is legal for felons to own both of these weapons which is why they are so popular among felons. One weapon that is often not discussed when it comes to personal protection is the use of a “BB” gun or a pellet gun. Both of these weapons are able to be owned by felons and have been proven to scare off thieves in the past. These two weapons cannot kill an intruder on their own, making them the perfect deterrent. Tasers fall in a gray area due to the variety of types (handheld, dischargeable, ranged etc.), which is why having a taser is a less popular option for felons, but an option, nonetheless.

Besides the defense weapon itself, felons do not face any additional restrictions when it comes to protecting their home. Felons have the same right to a secure home as anyone else, therefore felons are able to purchase the same security systems and protective equipment as everyone else. In the next section we will cover some of the most popular security systems on the market and how they work.

Security and Alarm Systems.

Companies such as ADT, Xfinity, and Brink’s Home Security offer state of the art protection by providing their customers with the newest security systems.

ADT Home Security offers a variety of plans to fit the needs of every household. Their rates are not available on their website without having to request a quote, but reliable sources state that their cost of their services ranges from $36.99/mo.-$52.99/mo.

Xfinity Home Security costs $24.99/mo.-$29.99/mo. for their services for the first year. After the first year is up, the price goes up to $34.95/mo.-$39.99/mo. Xfinity Home Security offers similar products to the ones that ADT offers, but offers consumers the ability to save money on their service by bundling their Home Security with other Xfinity products.

Lastly, there is Brink’s Home Security. Brink’s Home Security has two tiers, the non-video and the video services. The non-video service is $29.00/mo. and the video service are ten dollars more per month.

Every major security system on the market today contains security cameras, alarm systems and motion sensors. It is also important to note that some companies monitor your home for you and alert the proper authorities if a problem arises. For example, if you are at work and the alarm in your home is triggered, someone at the security company will automatically call authorities for you. This is an added service that can bring peace of mind.

The price for these services ranges from $15/mo. – +$100/mo. If you are not looking to spend money each month on a security system, there are some companies that charge a flat rate for the equipment and then offer an additional monthly charge for monitoring. There is an affordable option for everyone of all incomes when it comes to home security.

If you prefer to not go through a security company, you can make your own security system by purchasing the different systems that fit your needs. Walmart, Target, and Best Buy sell security camera systems, alarm systems, and motion detectors, allowing you to shop for only what you want to have.

These systems may be worth the investment for felons who are unable to own a firearm. It may offer them peace of mind knowing that someone is watching over their home.

*Disclaimer: we are not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned and benefit in no way by sharing our thoughts on their systems. *

Legal Considerations for Felons.

Felons have to be very careful in how they protect their home. Felons that choose to take protection into their own hands risk the possibility of going back to prison. One common example is that a felon uses their spouse’s firearm to kill an intruder. In this situation, the felon would most likely not face charges or any legal punishment for killing the intruder but would instead face legal trouble for how the felon killed the intruder. Even though the intruder was in the right by killing the intruder, it still does not excuse how the felon did it- by shooting the intruder with a firearm.

This is a fairly common way felons can end up back behind bars. Self-defense is important, it just has to be delivered in a legal way. For example, if the felon were to shoot the intruder with a crossbow, then there would be no legal backlash since felons are able to own and possess a crossbow. The law that felons are unable to own firearms can be very frustrating, especially when it comes to self-defense and protecting your home.

FAQ.

Is there any way a felon can own a gun legally?

Technically, Yes. Generally speaking, felons are unable to own a firearm. There are rare cases where the felon receives a pardon. Pardons are not common and when pardons do take place, only a select few are pardoned. Pardons can happen on a state or federal level and must be delivered by someone who as the authority to do so (Governor or President).

What are the chances of a break-in?

Break-ins are fairly common. The FBI reported that in 2015, there were over 1,500,000 break-ins, meaning that a break-in occurred every twenty seconds. 88% of the break-ins took place in residential areas (homes, garages, condos, etc.), causing the demand for security systems to skyrocket, and for good reason.

Break-ins are very common. Most break-ins actually happen in the day between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM, disproving the myth that the majority of break-ins take place at night.

Do thieves avoid houses with dogs?

Yes. When thieves have been interviewed, the vast majority spoke about how they selectively chose houses that did not have any pets, especially dogs. This was mostly because thieves were afraid the dogs would start to bark and alert anyone who was home.

Thank You for reading! Do you have a security system? Let us know how you keep your home safe in the comments below!