Another little "running away" tidbit. Sometimes people forget that while they may be able bodied and able to run away, you lose this advantage if you have a child with you.

Just a thought.

Other random things.

The effectiveness of OC spray varies highly from person to person. Some will be incapacitated, some will not be effected.

It should be noted there are different styles of OC spray patterns -- "cone", "foam" and "stream" being most common. The "cone" is sort of the middle ground -- it is easier to hit someone with it, but on the other hand they must be closer. The "stream" allows you to reach out farther, but you must be more accurate to hit someone. The "foam" is meant to be used indoors to prevent getting into the ventilation systems and contaminating everyone in the building.

You likely will get yourself when using OC spray potentially due to wind or the person coming in contact with you.

Some manufacturers (like Fox Labs) sell inert training cans.

Having a lot of video cameras up in your neighborhood probably will act as a deterrent. It might also be one of the few ways to increase probability of criminals being caught since you can determine what cars and people were in and out of the area around the time of the crime.

-john