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CRJ 305 Neighborhood Watch As A Crime Prevention Strategy

Evaluation of community-based crime prevention programs

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    Neighborhood Watch 1 Neighborhood Watch As A Crime Prevention Strategy Sandy Diaz (Echon) CRJ 305 Crime Prevention Professor Blake Cheary February 4, 2012 Discuss the effectiveness of Neighborhood Watch programs as a crime prevention strategy. In your answer, explore the key principles and goals of these programs, the challenges they face, and the role of community involvement in reducing crime. How do Neighborhood Watch initiatives contribute to enhancing public safety and community cohesion? Additionally, analyze the findings of research studies on the impact of Neighborhood Watch programs on crime rates, including the statistical meta - analysis conducted by Bennett et al. (2008). What are the potential long - term benefits and limitations of these programs in promoting safer neighborhoods? Word Count Requirement: 1000 - 1200 words

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    Neighborhood Watch 2 For centuries, crime which is a universal occurrence, has troubled and face up to societies of the world. Crime, in one form or another, touches each of our lives on a daily basis. If you are lucky enough not to have been a direct victim, you are still altered by the threat and cost of crime, as well as by the emotional consequences of realizing that crime is all around you. As the United States becomes more diverse, the responsibilities expected of police in the fight against crime are becoming progressively more difficult to accomplish. The most effective approaches to crime prevention are community policing and reducing opportunities for crime through strategies like block watch, target hardening or promoting a more careful behavior. These could result to decreased crime rates, the level and the fear of crime neighborhood risks, and higher quality of life . Robinson states (2002) b efore we can create an effective plan to prevent crime, “ it is helpful to first understand why a particular act is identified as a crime and prohibited by society ” (p g . 1 ). According to our book Policing and Crime Prevention, Identifying unacceptable behavior and defining criminal prohibitions are only parts of the process of crime prevention. The current and most basic beliefs about crime prevention are to place the citizen at the center of the endeavor. As we know crime prevention is a magnitude of many perceptions and we must recognize the fact that different agencies and organizations have established or are establishing policies and programs to prevent and control crime in their own ways. The security of the neighborhood is the key indicator for economic and social health stability. This makes neighborhood crime prevention efforts important. Safe neighborhoods are paramount to enhance common values and general community health where there is neighborhood crime fear and distrust among the residents prevail. As it has been observed usually crime is common in poorer neighborhoods which have high

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    Neighborhood Watch 3 populations. If this is not addressed it may contributes to community neglect and breakdown. This is because there are few incentives to invest both economically or socially in such environment. People from neighborhood become suspicious to each other and this affects their cooperation. Crime also flourishes in neighborhoods where there are more opportunities for violence, such as illegal drug and gun markets (Reiss and Roth , 1993, Method section para 1 ). Community networks formed by youth emulating positive adult behavior suffer when people are fearful and distrustful (Moore , 1999, Method section para 2 ). Creating safer through communities through neighborhood crime prevention programs is one way to disturb this negative feedback circle that weakens communities. One thing law officials learn is that proactive crime prevention strategies involve not only themselves but also the community in programs and initiatives that enable citizens to protect their property more effectively. Every citizen must contribute to the prevention of crime, or the effort is destined to fail. In the earliest days, under the Anglo - Saxon system of Alfred the Great, the citizen was expected to participate in both crime prevention and crime control. Under the “Frankpledge” system, each man was required to be responsible for, and to, his neighbors (Robinson 2002, pg. 4). Today this still continues but it is known as Neighborhood Crime Watch. In principle , Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program that stresses education and common sense. It teaches citizens how to help themselves by identifying and reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. In addition, it provides citizens with the opportunity to make their neighborhoods safer and improve the quality of life.

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