「자율방범대법」 제정의 의의와 향후 과제

Abstract

In April 2022, the “Act on the Installation and Operation of Citizen Patrol Corps(Citizen Patrol Corps Act)” was enacted according to the claim that citizen patrol corps play the various important roles for regional safety, but have been not systematically managed and supported. Citizen patrol corps have been participating in crime prevention activities in each community while assisting policing for nearly 70 years in South Korea, but with the enactment of Citizen Patrol Corps Act, they will be able to carry out more systematic crime prevention activities. The citizen patrol corps, which have played the role of safety guards in the community until now, will be given legal status, which will help solve various difficult problems. The purpose of this study is to examine the concept and history of the citizen patrol corps, present the significance of citizen patrol corps act enactment, and discuss problems that may arise in the process of implementing citizen patrol corps in the future. The citizen patrol corps are fundamentally the voluntary crime prevention organization that local residents patrol for crime prevention, report crimes, and protect youth for their own local safety. Local residents should recognize the importance of citizen patrol corps activity, and actively encourage and support citizen patrol corps.