Neighborhood Watch Programs

Dennis P. Rosenbaum

Neighborhood Watch is defined as an organized effort by residents of a particular neighborhood to watch out for, and report to the police, suspicioussuspicious or criminal behavior for the purpose of deterring such activity in the future. Organized by community groups, local law enforcement, or individual citizens, volunteers typically attend Neighborhood Watch meetings to exchange telephone numbers, receive training in surveillance and reporting, and talk about crime problems in the area. Newsletters are often used to disseminate crime prevention tips and crime statistics, and signs are posted warning potential criminals that they are entering a Neighborhood Watch community. Over several decades, watch groups have proliferated in number and type, and have broadened their functions. National surveys indicate that roughly four in ten U.S. citizens live in a community with a Neighborhood Watch program, and of these, approximately six in ten participate in the program. The National Crime Prevention Council calls ...

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