Fear of crime transforms home protection into a runaway growth industry
In Phoenix, metal lawn signs in front of homes warn burglars that gun-wielding guards will greet them if they enter. In Cleveland, a school for canines turns tail-wagging family pooches into snarling guard dogs. In Los Angeles, uniformed attendants at a bunker-like command post study screens and consoles day and night, watching for signs of home break-ins. When an alarm goes off, they lift a red telephone to summon police, or bark out a microphone command that dispatches members of their own gun-toting security force.
Across the U.S., the rising fear of...