Community Awareness
and Crime Prevention:

Playing a Vital Role in Crime Reduction

By Shannon Wood
Editor

You don’t have to look much further than the morning newspaper headlines to realize many of our country’s communities are under siege from criminals. Waves of crime in our neighborhoods often have a rippling effect throughout a community and beyond. Crime victims are the first to feel the effects of a theft, assault, vandalism, or other unlawful acts. But beyond the crime victim, family members, friends, and neighbors slowly become apathetic toward climbing crime rates and often believe there is nothing they can do to combat the escalating crimes that often occur so close to home. Sadly, this creates an environment perfect for criminals.

Fortunately, there are many ways to effectively prevent and reduce crime in communities everywhere. The first step to taking back your community is to stand together in a united effort to combat crime. Taking action, becoming educated and being prepared are major deterrents to criminals. Active participation in eliminating crimes in your community can increase your safety as well as others. How can you do this? By following a few simple steps:

Become active in
a Neighborhood Watch Program

The Neighborhood Watch Program was created by the National Sheriff’s Association in the 1970’s as a solution to escalating crime in the nation. After decades of success, the program has proven itself to be a powerful deterrent to crime in participating neighborhoods. The first step in finding out more about Neighborhood Watch Programs currently in your area is to contact your local law enforcement agency. If a program does not exist in your area, your local law enforcement agency can assist you in organizing a program.

Neighborhood Watch empowers neighborhood residents by giving them the tools on how to detect suspicious activity in the neighborhood. Often law enforcement agencies will meet with Neighborhood Watch groups and inform them about additional programs that can be incorporated into the program. These programs vary, but may include Home Security Inspection and Property Identification Programs.

Get involved in community clean-up

Run-down areas attract crime. Get involved by organizing a neighborhood clean-up to get rid of abandoned cars and trash, tend to overgrown weeds, and encourage residents to beautify the area. If better street lighting is needed, talk it over with neighborhood residents and appoint representatives to discuss the matter with the city council. If a street light is not working properly, contact your town’s street department to alert them of the problem.

Community safety begins at home

Keeping your home secure and talking with your neighbors and friends on how they may also keep their homes secure is a great way to cut down on crime. If you receive checks on a regular basis (such as social security checks) have those checks direct deposited into your account, or obtain a post office box to protect all sensitive information sent to you. Make sure that the area around your home is well-lit. If there are dark recesses or niches, make sure those areas are illuminated. A good way to create optimum lighting as a deterrent to burglars is to install lights in various places that are motion activated. Install deadbolt locks on your doors. Do not leave spare keys hidden anywhere outside of your residence. Instead, give a spare key to a trusted neighbor.

Become active in volunteer work through your local law enforcement agency

Many law enforcement agencies have volunteer programs. Volunteers play an important role in assisting police by providing support, allowing police officers to focus on policing and enforcement functions. Volunteer support may include administrative functions, as well as citizen patrolling opportunities. Agencies that participate in the Volunteers in Police Service Programs often provide training for various tasks.

Crime can be reduced, and even eliminated, when citizens organize and stand together to create awareness and take action. Making crime disappear from your neighborhood and community does not happen without the ability of citizens to step forward and organize efforts to eliminate crime where they live. Making a difference in the community and the lives of others can be a rewarding and meaningful experience.

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