Neighborhood Watch Manual

• NCJ Number: 231132
• Date Published: January 2010
• Length: 39 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2005-MU-BX-K077
• Agencies: BJA-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Technical Assistance; Instructional Material

Annotation

This manual guides citizen organizers and law enforcement officers who work with community members in establishing, managing, and maintaining Neighborhood Watch (NW), one of the oldest crime prevention concepts in North America.

Abstract

A NW program is a group of people living in the same area who are motivated to make their neighborhood safer by working together with the assistance of local law enforcement to reduce crime and improve their neighborhood's quality of life. The National Sheriffs' Association is working with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, and the U.S. Department of Justice to form new NW groups and revitalize existing groups. This manual is designed to help community leaders and law enforcement officers perform the tasks needed to achieve these goals. After reviewing the history, features, and benefits of NW, the manual discusses how to start a NW by involving key community residents in the effort. This is followed by a chapter on how to organize a Neighborhood Watch using the tools of "phone trees" and neighborhood maps. A chapter on planning and conducting meetings focuses on ideas for creative meetings, how to conduct meetings, and ideas for NW activities. A chapter on revitalizing NW groups addresses the importance of recognizing volunteers for their efforts and achievements. Another chapter identifies the skills and knowledge required for members to achieve the core NW activities, i.e. skills in observation and knowing what and how to report observations. A chapter on establishing partnerships features the identification of resources and working with Citizen Corps. This is followed by a chapter that considers NW's expanded role relative to emergency preparedness and preventing terrorism. The final chapter provides guidance for home security, which pertains to home target hardening and marking personal property for identification should a burglary occur.