Citation

Bennett T. Br. J. Criminol. 1989; 29(3): 207-218.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The development of community crime prevention programmes in the United States of America has been accompanied by a growing body of research which has aimed to determine the characteristics of residents who participate in these programmes. This research has been oriented by two perspectives on motivation: one view is that perceived crime problems stimulate collective action, and participants are more likely than non-participants to be fearful of crime; another view is that fear of crime inhibits action, and participants are more likely than non-participants to have a strong sense of social cohesion and to be involved in community associations. The paper investigates the factors that differentiate participants and non-participants in two Neighbourhood Watch scheme areas in London. The research shows that participants are both more fearful and more involved in their community than non-participants and concludes that a synthesis of the two perspectives might be appropriate.