Criminals don’t like to be challenged. If a burglar is driving around looking for houses to break into, they’re going to be put-off if they see a bunch of folks in the neighborhood chatting it up. There’s a strategy you can use here known as positive loitering. The premise is that if you hang out outside with people in the neighborhood, you can keep your eyes peeled and show criminals that they aren’t welcome. [2] X Research source The occasional block party or garage sale are a great way to get to know your neighbors!
The first goal of a neighborhood watch is to report crime and suspicious activity. Outside of that, you could institute citizen patrols, clean up vandalism, or organize youth events. Remind everyone to stay reasonably cautious and not to get paranoid about crime. Some watch groups have resulted in racism and hysteria, because people started feeling like they were the cops. Keep everyone cool to make sure things don’t get carried away. [4] X Research source
Don’t call 911 if there isn’t a crime taking place or the suspicious activity isn’t an emergency or a crime in progress. For issues that are not so black and white if they constitute an emergency, check resources in your relevant area to see what issues they expected to be reported to 911. For example, in New York City, illegal marijuana smoking is an issue that they officially instruct citizens to call 911. [7] X Research source Don’t try to confront criminals yourself. You’re just putting yourself in harm’s way. Let the professionals handle it. [8] X Expert Source Saul Jaeger, MSPolice Captain, Mountain View Police Department Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.
You could ask them to tear down vacant properties in your area. There’s a lot of evidence that abandoned buildings are linked to higher crime rates. [10] X Research source If you don’t have streetlights, ask for them! Street lighting can dramatically lower crime. If you’ve noticed an uptick in problematic loitering or public drinking around local businesses, you could let your local representative know[11] X Research source
Cleaning up and painting over the graffiti in your neighborhood is a great way to make it look nicer. This is a phenomenon known as broken window theory. The premise is that small signs of decay—like broken windows—send a psychological message that law and order are not being enforced. It’s a hotly-debated idea, but there’s evidence that it has merit. [13] X Research source
This is really more of a personal crime prevention tactic, but if enough people in your neighborhood put cameras up, it will have a positive impact on the area as a whole. [15] X Expert Source Saul Jaeger, MSPolice Captain, Mountain View Police Department Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.
You can throw a security company sign in your yard, even if you don’t have a security system installed. Even if you never got an official neighborhood watch off of the ground, you can still ask about putting the signs up! Criminals won’t know the difference. Consult your local government before nailing signs to electrical poles and such. In most cases they’re going to honor small requests like these.
When it comes to your hedges and bushes, make sure you trim them low enough so that you can see out of the window. Keep them small enough that a potential burglar won’t be able to hide themselves near a door and hide while they try to break in.
This is also just a great way to make the world a better place. The more positivity you can inject into your community, the better you’re going to feel about your neighborhood.
