There are a lot of low-tech methods of home security. Neighborhood watch programs, bright street lights and basic deadlocks on the doors can all be effective ways of discouraging intruders. But electronic means are more reliable and less prone to human error, which is why many people have turned to burglar alarms or other home security systems.

As crime rates rise and the days of leaving your doors unlocked recede into the distant past, home security becomes an increasingly vital concern. The marketplace has been flooded with a variety of methods for keeping one's home safe from intruders and to protect oneself against theft.

A basic burglar alarm relies on sensors on the doors and windows. When the alarm system is active, any attempt to get into the house will trip the sensors and raise the alarm.

What happens from there depends on the type of home security system you have. The most expensive systems send a message directly to the police. However, because of the cost, today it is primarily businesses and other institutions that use this method. Most consumer systems send the alarm to an agency that will quickly try to determine if the alarm is genuine (by calling the homeowner or property manager) and if it is, notify the police.

Some alarm companies also have personnel who patrol neighborhoods and may respond to alarms. These personnel are not police officers and generally avoid engaging intruders. Their purpose, rather, is to frighten off burglars, who rely on the cover of darkness and don't want to be caught by anyone, police officer or otherwise.

One useful feature of many home security systems is a motion-sensitive spotlight. These have sensors that detect movement, and so anytime someone passes in front of it, a bright beam of light comes on. Not only does this remove a burglar's favorite tool -- darkness -- it may even trick an intruder into thinking someone is home. Anything you can do to thwart a would-be thief is worth looking into.