Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program that aims to prevent crime and the fear of crime. Through the program, participants:
- Get to know their neighbors,
- Become more invested in what happens in their neighborhood,
- Look out for one another,
- Learn crime prevention strategies and
- Communicate suspicious and criminal activity happening in the neighborhood to police and each other.
Residents typically form Neighborhood Watches because of an increase in crime in their area. However, the most effective groups are ones where coordinator(s) get their neighbors together every year, invite new residents to participate and neighbors continue to communicate.
Neighborhood Watches should be welcoming to all neighbors, allowing them to participate to the extent they feel comfortable.