Neighbourhood watch

• This had its origins in the 1980s, when the idea of active citizenship was promoted. The Neighbourhood Watch idea was imported from the US, where it was originally set up in Chicago.
• A Neighbourhood Watch is a local committee of people who encourage neighbours to keep an eye on each other’s property.
• The UK’s first Neighbourhood Watch was set up in 1982; by now, some estimated 3.8million households are involved.
• The aims include preventing crime by encouraging local vigilantes, and reducing fear of crime. However, there is a lot of debate about how effective they actually are.