The Effectiveness of Neighborhood Watch

Abstract

The primary aim of this Campbell systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of neighborhood watch in reducing crime. The narrative review was based on 19 studies (covering 43 evaluations) and the meta‐analysis was based on 12 studies (covering 18 evaluations). The data used included police‐recorded crimes and self‐reported victimizations.This review concludes that neighborhood watch is associated with a reduction in crime.AbstractBackgroundNeighborhood watch (also known as block watch, apartment watch, home watch and community watch) grew out of a movement in the US during the late 1960s that promoted greater involvement of citizens in the prevention of crime. Since then, interest in neighborhood watch has grown considerably and recent estimates suggest that over a quarter of the UK population and over forty per cent of the US population live in areas covered by neighborhood watch schemes.ObjectivesThe primary aim of this review is to assess the effectiveness of neighborhood watch in reducing crime.Criteria for inclusion of studiesNeighborhood watch sometimes comprises a stand‐alone scheme and sometimes includes additional program elements. The most common combination of program elements is the ‘big three’ (neighborhood watch, property marking and security surveys). Studies were selected for inclusion in the review if they were based on a watch scheme either alone or in combination with any of the other ‘big three’ elements. The main quality control was that the studies should be based on random allocation or a pre‐post test design with a comparison area.Search StrategyStudies were identified by searching 11 electronic databases. In addition, studies were sought using on‐line library catalogues, literature reviews, lists of references, and published bibliographies. Leading researchers in the field were also contacted when there was a particular need to do so.Data collection and analysisThe narrative review was based on 19 studies (covering 43 evaluations) and the meta‐analysis was based on 12 studies (covering 18 evaluations). The data used included police‐recorded crimes and self‐reported victimizations.Main resultsThe main finding of the narrative review was that the majority of the schemes evaluated indicated that neighborhood watch was effective in reducing crime.The main finding of the meta‐analysis was that the weighted mean odds ratio for all studies combined was 1.19 using the fixed effects method and 1.36 using the random effects method. The results of both methods show that neighborhood watch was associated with a reduction in crime of between 16 per cent and 26 per cent.Reviewers’ conclusionsThis review concludes that neighborhood watch is associated with a reduction in crime.This review should be cited as:Bennett Trevor, Holloway Katy, and Farrington David. “The Effectiveness of Neighborhood Watch”. In: The Campbell Collaboration Reviews of Intervention and Policy Evaluations (C2‐RIPE).