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OVERVIEW
 The
National Neighborhood Watch Program:
The National Neighborhood Watch Program
is designed to involve individual citizens in the crime
prevention process. It was organized in 1972 by the
National Sheriffs' Association in response to the requests of
several national law enforcement groups to develop a crime
prevention program based on citizen participation.
What is A Neighborhood Watch?
In America, most neighborhood crime prevention groups are
organized around a block or a neighborhood. Most of these
programs are started with assistance from a law enforcement
agency. Most programs make use of volunteers who donate time,
and perhaps some resources; and many have no formal budget or
source of funding. In 1988 a study found that most of the
neighborhood watches were located in areas with single-family
homes, with little or no commercial establishments, and with
residents who had lived at their current address more than
five years. This study also found that most of the programs
used street signs to show the presence of the program and to
potentially deter any would-be criminals.
The foundation for creating and maintaining neighborhood
crime prevention groups (Neighborhood Watch) is based on the
assumption that a group of people in the neighborhood can come
together to reestablish informal control, and can thereby
increase the quality of life and reduce the potential for
crime in the neighborhood.
Today the Neighborhood Watch program has evolved and grown
into an effective means of crime control and neighborhood
cohesiveness. While not all of the programs in place today go
by the same name, they all accomplish the same goal - to bring
the neighborhood together to fight & prevent crime.
The Mission:
When
citizens take positive steps by learning how to secure their
property and report all suspicious activities around their
homes, they are helping themselves as well as their neighbors.
Although Neighborhood Watch focuses on the prevention of
residential burglary, its residual effects are far reaching in
achieving a stronger community and an increase in the quality
of life for everyone.
Here's
why:
The estimated 2.5 million burglaries committed in the United
States in 1996 account for approximately 19 percent of
reported serious crime. Two of every three burglaries in
1996 were committed in houses, apartments, or other
residential dwellings. The majority of residential
burglaries (59 percent) occurred during daylight hours, while
non-residential burglaries occurred primarily at night.
Burglary
is expensive to the victim; in 1996, the average dollar loss
per residential burglary was $1,350.00. Compared to 1995
losses, the 1996 average loss for both residential and
non-residential property increased. About 66 percent of
all burglaries required forcing a door or window to gain
entry. Most houses and apartments are protected by
simple and relatively ineffective door and window locks.
Modern hardware is available for these locks which will stop
the amateur and slow up the experienced burglar. In
communities of every size during 1996, the number of
burglaries and the financial loss to the victims point to the
continued need for vigilance.
Starting and Maintaining a Neighborhood
Watch
The first step is to plan strategies that
address the problems in your specific neighborhood. In this step, it is
essential to incorporate neighborhood involvement and identify
ways to deal with the potential crime patterns of that area.
The second step is building a relationship
and cooperation between law enforcement officers and
residents. Often, the citizens are angry with law enforcement
for not doing enough about the neighborhood's problems and the
officers feel that the citizens of the neighborhood are not
taking on enough responsibility. For the Neighborhood Watch
program to be successful, officers will begin by understanding the needs
of the neighborhood and work as role models for neighborhood
crime prevention efforts.
The third step is to assess the
neighborhood needs. In many areas, the focus of law
enforcement and the neighborhood is not the same. Law
enforcement is focusing on a perceived problem that the
neighborhood is not concerned about, such as attempting to
address major crimes throughout the city. The neighborhood,
however, may perceive and fear crimes that are considered
minor by police, such as bicycle thefts or vandalism. To be
successful, Neighborhood Watches bring law enforcement
and residents together to decide what is important to the
neighborhood.
The fourth Step is to select volunteers. The leaders of each group needs to be organized
and motivated. If they lose motivation, the Neighborhood Watch
will suffer; and if they are not organized, volunteers may
quit out of frustration.
The fifth step is to develop meaningful
projects. Often, after the Neighborhood Watch has addressed
the original issue, members lose interest. It is important to
keep the enthusiasm going. To do this, it is necessary to
choose new projects so that there is always something on which
to keep the focus. Activities may include building a
neighborhood playground or picking up trash along the roadways
throughout their area.
If all of those involved in the
Neighborhood Watch program are aiming for the same goal, the
program will be successful. This is not an overnight process;
it takes patience, planning and enthusiasm.
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