Annie K. Zaleski '02

Oct. 13, 1999

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Self-Locking Doors Will Keep Harvard Community Safe

To the editors:

In recent weeks, we have seen a series of burglaries in Harvard Yard dorms. This has led many to call for increased security in this area to protect students' property and to catch the criminals who have been committing these crimes.

While the problem is clear and needs to be solved, I believe that increasing security is not the answer. Indeed, the solution is much simpler. The burglars are not picking locks or busting down doors or climbing through windows. They are simply opening unlocked doors, entering and taking the most accessible and convenient stuff they can grab. There are no forced-entries. The only way Harvard is going to be able to solve its burglary problem is by changing the locks on the dorm doors to ones that automatically lock. This way, there will be no chance of someone forgetting to lock his door when he leaves the room or goes to sleep.

What will this changeover entail? Obviously a lot of locksmiths and new locks, meaning a great expense. But isn't it worth it? First of all, especially during the first year at Harvard, in which the pressures and adjustments are so intense, being burglarized and having to deal with all the annoyances afterwards are absolutely devastating.