NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

noun Written neighborhood watch in the US (People and Society) An organized programme of vigilance by ordinary citizens in order to help the police combat crime in their neighbourhood; crime prevention achieved by this method. Etymology: Formed by compounding: the idea is for ordinary citizens to keep a watch on their neighbourhood. History and Usage: The idea of neighbourhood watch came from the US, where the first scheme was set up in the early seventies. By the mid eighties it was also catching on in the UK as a popular response to the rising number of burglaries and thefts. The underlying principle is local co-operation: that neighbours should be prepared to watch out for each other's property and welfare and co-operate with the police in ensuring that anything suspicious is reported and investigated. Neighbourhood watch schemes are catching on fast. In Ja nuary a Home Office minister said 8,000 schemes were in operation. New Socialist Sept. 1986, p. 5 The words 'neighborhood watch' mean more than just keeping an eye out for suspicious activity. Here...some 35 area block clubs' representatives meet regularly to figure out how to make their streets safer and cleaner. Modern Maturity Aug.-Sept. 1989, p. 18