Recently I joined a neighborhood Yahoo group for Laurel Md.   If you post a message in the group you belong to, everyone in that group will get an email with your update.  You can chose not to receive automatic updates, but most people want them.

Now, every day, sometimes several times throughout the day, I recieve an email about anything pertaining to my Laurel Md. neighborhood.  This is the information age.  And now you can get lots of information.

Recently, I have been getting emails about crime in my neighborhood.  I have gotten so many emails it felt like a crime wave was occurring.  Every day several new comments about crime and links to police reports appear in my email.  It felt like all I had to do was take a walk around my neighborhood and I was sure to see several crimes being committed.

Sure enough one of the people in my group could not believe the recent “crime wave” our neighborhood was experiencing.  Fortunately, more experienced heads prevailed.  A member of the group and long time resident, explained that we were experiencing the same amount of crime we always have.  We just know more about it now.  It is still safe to come out of your home.

But its not the crime thats increased……..its the amount of information available that has increased.   All of us have access to information now that would have been unthinkable twentyfive years ago.  Not only that, but the speed at which we receive it.  Its instantaneous! 

As a real estate agent who sells Maryland real estate,  I tell all my clients every neighborhood has crime.  The important thing, I believe is what type of crime.   As a home buyer, I would not want to move in areas of violent crimes.  You can get all this information on the internet.  This is something I cover with every home buyer I work with, usually in the first meeting.

In my three years in West Laurel Md., I have never been a victim of crime.