Neighborhood Watch programs began as a citizen-based response to a rise in crime during the late 1960s. By 1972, it won approval from the National Sheriffs Association as an important crime prevention method. Presently, there are about 20,000 organized groups who work in conjunction with local police stations to help report suspicious behavior in neighborhoods. Perhaps best known for suburban street signs which depict a sinister-looking thief and the word "WARNING" in big letters, Neighborhood Watch represents a long-held faith in local neighborhoods as the cradle of community and safety among middle-class Americans.

Further Reading:

Bennett, Trevor. Evaluating Neighbourhood Watch. Aldershot, United Kingdom, Gower, 1990.

Mann, Stephanie, and M. C. Blakeman. Safe Homes, Safe Neighborhoods. Berkeley, Nolo Press, 1993.