§ John MannTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of(a)resident groups and(b)community watch schemes in preventing crime. [159667]
§ Ms BlearsThere has been no formal Home Office assessment of the effectiveness of residents' groups and watch schemes in reducing crime, although some individual projects have been evaluated.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that both resident groups and community watch schemes are effective in bringing communities together to prevent crime and reduce fear of crime.
Tenants' and residents' groups are particularly successful at building community spirit and articulating local needs and concerns resulting in enhanced trust and co-operation with Police.
140WNeighbourhood watch schemes are also regarded as one of the most effective examples in preventing crime and reducing the fear of crime. Over 155,000 Neighbourhood. Watch schemes operate throughout the United Kingdom covering up to 27 per cent. of all households. 75 per cent. of the respondents to the 2000 British Crime Survey felt that Neighbourhood Watch schemes were effective in preventing crimes such as burglary.
The Home Office are in the process developing an Active Citizenship Centre, a virtual resource, to provide an overarching framework to assess systematically the evidence of the impact of citizens giving up their time to help their local community.