Short Paper Does neighborhood watch reduce crime

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1 Short Paper: Does neighborhood watch reduce crime? Liberty University CJUS 323 LUO Marcia Shiflett November 13, 2023

2 Does neighborhood watch reduce crime? “Neighborhood watch (NW) grew out of a movement in the USA that promoted greater involvement of citizens in the prevention of crime” (Titus, 1984). It is also known as block watch, apartment watch, home watch, citizen alert, and community watch. “The most frequently suggested mechanism by which neighborhood watch is supposed to reduce crime by residents looking out for suspicious activities and reporting these to the police” (Bennett, 1990). Neighborhood watch might also lead to a reduction in crime by reducing opportunities for crime. Some neighborhood watch schemes might create signs of occupancy. These signs could include removing newspapers and milk from outside a neighbor’s home when they are away, mowing the lawn, and emptying cans. The way in which signs of occupancy might reduce crime might be through the effect that this has on the perceptions of potential offenders in terms of their likelihood of getting caught. Neighborhood watch might also lead to a reduction in crime through the various mechanisms of social control. Informal social control can affect community crime through the generation of acceptable norms of behavior and by direct intervention by residents. It is possible that neighborhood watch schemes might reduce crime through enhancing police detection. Neighborhood watch might serve to increase the flow of useful information from the public to the police. “An increase in information concerning crime in progress and suspicious persons and events might lead to a greater number of arrests and, convictions and result in a reduction in crime through the incapacitation of local offenders” (Bennett, 1990). “It has been argued that property marking might lead to a reduction in crime as a result of making the disposal of marked property more difficult” (Laycock, 1985). The main aim of the type of intervention criterion was to include studies that evaluated neighborhood watch schemes. There are different types of intervention in the neighborhood watch schemes. Stand-alone neighborhood watch schemes is comprising solely a watch component. Neighborhood watch schemes that include “the big three” is neighborhood watch property marking and security surveys, so long as there was a watch component. The aim of the type of outcome criterion was to focus the evaluation on crime outcomes. It focused on determining the impact of

3 neighborhood watch on fear of crime, residents satisfaction with their area, or police-community relations. We sought to determine whether neighborhood watch succeeded in meeting its primary objective of reducing residential burglary and related neighborhood crimes. The type of crimes included in the review were: crimes against residents, crimes against dwellings and other (street) crimes occurring in residential area. After reviewing over the neighborhood watch schemes evaluating it showed that neighborhood watch was effective in reducing crime, while the other half mainly produced uncertain results. However, it is possible that the reductions in crime were associated with some of the essential features of neighborhood watch schemes as discussed . Neighborhood watch might serve to increase surveillance, reduce opportunities and enhance informed social control. Neighborhood watch is one of the oldest and best-known crime prevention concepts in North America. In the late 1960s, an increase in crime heightened the need for a crime prevention initiative focused on residential areas and involving local citizens. The National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) responded, creating the National Neighborhood Watch (NNW) program in 1972, to assist citizens and law enforcement. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, strengthening and securing communities has become more critical than ever. Neighborhood watch programs have responded to the challenge, expanding beyond their traditional crime prevention role to help neighborhoods focus on disaster preparedness, emergency response, and terrorism awareness. Our nation is built on the strength of our citizens. Every day, we encounter situations calling upon us to be the eyes and ears of law enforcement. Not only does neighborhood watch allow citizens to help in the fight against crime, it is also an opportunity for communities to bond through service. The Neighborhood Watch Program draws upon the compassion of average citizens, asking them to lend their neighbors a hand. The National Neighborhood Watch Program (formerly USAonWatch) is the portal for training to assist law enforcement agencies and their communities, technical assistance, resource documents, watch stories, networking, and assistance to the field. Since 1972, the National Neighborhood Watch Program (housed within the National Sheriffs’ Association) has worked to unite law enforcement agencies, private organizations, and individual citizens in a nation-wide

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4 effort to reduce crime and improve local communities. The success of the program has established Neighborhood Watch as the nation’s premier crime prevention and community mobilization program. Visible signs of the program are seen throughout America on street signs, window decals, community block parties and service projects ( What Is Neighborhood Watch? | National Neighborhood Watch , n.d.).

5 References National Neighborhood Watch | Crime prevention through neighborhood cohesiveness and collaboration . (n.d.). Blue Water Media. https://www.nnw.org/ What is Neighborhood Watch? | National Neighborhood Watch . (n.d.). Blue Water Media. https://nnw.org/what-neighborhood-watch Bennett H, T. H. & Wright, R. (1984). Burglars on burglary: Prevention and the offender. Aldershot, U. K; Gower. Titus, R. (1984). Residential burglary and the community response. In R. V. G. Clark & T. Hope (Eds), Coping with burglary (pp. 97-130). Boston; Kluwer-Nijhoff. Laycock, G. (1985). Property marking: Adeterrent to domestic burglary? Crime Prevention Unit Paper 3. London; Home office.

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