Environmental design, proactive community outreach and a strong relationship with county law enforcement have made The Woodlands one of Texas' safest places to live. According to crime data reported by law enforcement entities that serve The Woodlands, the odds of a resident being the victim of a major crime, such as murder or sexual assault, are relatively small.

"The Woodlands is safe. As opposed to murders and rapes, crimes of opportunity are the most frequent here, but even then there are things residents can do about it," said The Woodlands Township Director of Law Enforcement Marian Leck.

The "crimes of opportunity" Leck refers to include The Woodlands' most frequent crime, burglary of a motor vehicle and burglary of a habitation.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office reports there was only one reported homicide for all of 2010 and none in 2009. There was one homicide in 2011, as of November.

There were 38 reports of aggravated assault in 2011 and 38 reports of sexual assault. There were 28 aggravated assaults reported in 2011 and 26 sexual assaults reported in 2010. With a population of 97,000, the likelihood of being murdered in The Woodlands in 2010 or 2011 was around 0.00001 of a percent, while the odds of being sexually assaulted was around 0.00031 of a percent.

"One sexual assault or murder is, of course, one too many," said Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Community Liaison Sgt. Paul Cassidy.

The Woodlands is not incorporated and as such does not file Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) with the FBI. Nonetheless, it appears to be on par with comparable communities when it comes to frequency of major crimes.

Amy Lecocq, president of the Indian Springs Village Association, serves on The Woodlands Township Law Enforcement Advisory Committee. Lecocq is married, has two sons and has lived in The Woodlands for 18 years. She is a former federal prosecutor and thus says she knows a little bit about crime.

"We do not feel any panic over crime. We feel safe. Part of the reason is we are vigilant and have good communication with our liaison from the Montgomery County Sheriff's department," she said.

She said deputies assigned as liaisons to the local villages deliver reports to the association boards at their monthly meetings and alert them to any concerns.

Residents can also sign up on The Woodlands Township website to receive text or email alerts to keep them informed of a dangerous situation or criminal activities. Lecocq said knowing they will be alerted helps reassure residents.

There were 192 home burglaries in 2010 in The Woodlands and 199 in 2009. There are approximately 39,000 homes in The Woodlands. The odds a resident will experience a home burglary are less than one half of a percent.

"I compare burglary to a violent assault, on some levels," Cassidy said. He said once a person is victimized they are never the same and victims rarely ever feel safe again.

"I have known people who have sold their home after a burglary just to get into a new place and have the sense of a fresh start," Cassidy said.

Both Leck and Cassidy said vigilance by residents is the best way to deter crime.

"There are 97,000 residents in The Woodlands. That is 194,000 eyes. There are 88 law enforcement officers and that's 176 eyes. The residents are the offensive line when it comes to defending our community," Cassidy said.

He said lack of reporting suspicious incidences by residents is among law enforcement's top concerns. Often, a resident will notice a suspicious person or car near a neighbor's home and, though they find it unusual, opt not to notify authorities.

"If you see something, call it in. It could be a 50-50 chance, but it is worth the call," Cassidy said.

Leck attributed the low rate of home burglaries to several factors, including environmental design.

"There are few straight streets in The Woodlands with the exception of main thoroughfares. Neighborhoods are comprised of cul de sac streets which provide only one way in and out. That increases visibility. Residents can better notice a vehicle that is out of place," Leck said.

She also pointed to the deliberate use of cluster mail boxes. She said these were used to increase contact between neighbors and heighten recognition of people who live in nearby homes.

There were 781 burglaries of a motor vehicle in The Woodlands in 2010 and 893 in 2009.

Leck said opportunistic crooks case areas such as malls, shopping centers and church parking lots looking for easy targets. Unlocked doors often serve as an invitation, as do items like purses, computer bags, GPS units and iPods that are left in plain sight.

Cassidy advised not simply "throwing a jacket" over valuables because burglars recognize this as a diversionary strategy.

He said the areas which sees the most car break-ins is Town Center, and around The Woodlands Mall.

"It's often seasonal as well. People are preoccupied. I guarantee we could go to the mall right now and find four or five unlocked cars," he said.

Leck highlighted the more than 26 years of work by "The Woodlands Watch" as another factor in keeping the crime rate low. The Watch, operated by community volunteers, sponsors "Good Neighbor Days" to help residents get acquainted and works to educate citizens on crime prevention. It also tries to provide networking opportunities between residents and law enforcement.