Neighbourhood Watch in a Digital Age: Between Crime Control and Culture of Control (Crime Prevention and Security Management)

Drawing on data from 340 municipalities in the Netherlands as well as ethnographic fieldwork, this book presents original research on neighbourhood watch groups to illustrate how their actions contribute to collective efficacy and lower crime levels. Technological developments like social media and smartphones have changed the landscape of coproduction in public safety, and this book addresses the resultant issues involved with creating effective policy. While digital innovations and securitization have made neighbourhood watch groups effective, they have simultaneously increased the risk of vigilantism, and Lub reveals how stigmatization, ethnic profiling and excessive social control are very real issues, especially in suburban middle-class districts. Crucially, this study raises questions about how the increasing popularity of community crime prevention in a digital age should be framed: as a welcome civic contribution to crime control, or as a social phenomenon adding to an undesirable culture of control. Criminologists, city officials, policy makers and anyone studying neighbourhood activism will find this a fascinating work on crime control. Preface 6 Series Editor ́s Introduction 8 Contents 10 List of Figures 12 List of Tables 13 Part I: Neighbourhood Watch in the Netherlands: Introduction and Figures 14 Chapter 1: The Rise of Community Crime Prevention 15 1.1 The Securitisation of Society: Security as a Civic Responsibility 15 1.2 Research Questions and Analytical Perspectives 18 1.3 Research Methods 19 1.4 Reader ́s Guide 21 References 22 Chapter 2: Previous Research into Neighbourhood Watch 25 2.1 Research in the Netherlands 25 2.2 Research in the English-Speaking World 26 2.3 Conclusions 28 References 29 Chapter 3: Quantitative Data on Neighbourhood Watch in the Netherlands 31 3.1 Descriptive Statistics and Geographical Distribution 32 661 Active Teams 32 Neighbourhood Watch Most Prominent in North Brabant 33 3.2 Focus of the Watch Groups 33 Distribution of Tasks 33 Frequency of Patrols 35 3.3 Establishment: When and on Whose Initiative? 35 3.4 Influence of Demographic and Geographical Variables 39 Explanation of CBS Variables 40 Logistic Regression Analysis 40 3.5 Conclusions 43 References 45 Part II: To the Streets: Four Ethnographic Case Studies 47 Chapter 4: Watch Group 1: More than Just a Watch Group 48 4.1 Between Abandoned Bicycles and Shady Barber Shops 50 A Look Behind the Scenes 50 The Control Room 50 Coffee and Cookies 52 Bicycle Wrecking 53 Escape Routes 54 Armed and Dangerous 54 Cultural Differences 56 4.2 Keeping a Low Profile 57 The Higher Educated 57 `I ́m Not Saying Anything Anymore! ́ 57 Hospital 58 Advertising Pamphlets 59 Never Alone 59 Being Alert 60 Subsequent Talk 60 Burgerblauw as a Local Power Factor 61 Social Effects 62 The Subtle Working of Burgerblauw 63 Invisibility Paradox 64 4.3 Conclusions 64 The Environment Determines the Focus 64 Combination of Low Profile and Perseverance 65 Achilles Heel: Dependency of `Best Person ́ and Monocultural Composition 65 Reference 66 Chapter 5: Watch Group 2: Countering Burglars 67 5.1 Door Scams and Social Media 68 Summer Break 68 Not a Big Mark 69 Wave of Burglaries 70 BuitenBeter App 70 Cannonball 71 Con Artists 71 The Second Patrol 72 5.2 Start-Up Problems and Lessons Learnt 73 Posters 74 Clubs 74 Just Identifying 76 30 Burglaries Per Month 77 Fact or Fiction? 78 Confrontations 79 Citizen Courage 80 5.3 Conclusions 80 Autonomous Operations 80 The Illusion of Social Control 81 Murky Streams of Information 81 Trial and Error 82 Chapter 6: Watch Group 3: A Team in Need 83 6.1 Police Support Collapses 85 Apartment Buildings and Green Areas 85 Discussion at the Community Centre 86 Abandoned 86 Insurance 87 On the Road 88 Removed Benches 88 Secretly Noting License Plates 89 Retirement Home 90 Open Window 90 Visibility the Highest Priority 91 Verbally Abused 92 Open Curtains 92 Disappointed 93 6.2 Big City Problems 95 Whipping 95 Talkative 96 Back Office and Front Office 96 Amir Reports for Duty 97 The Patrol 99 Dark Houses on the Dike 99 No Association with the Police 100 Dealer Spot 101 `They Got Us Three Times ́ 102 House Calls 103 Kitchen Windows 104 Crime and Everyday Life 104 6.3 Conclusions 105 Subtle Contribution to Fighting Crime 105 Professional `Support ́: Lack of Attention 105 Different Interpretations 106 Bureaucratic Traits 106 The Ties Between Criminal and Everyday Life 107 Reference 108 Chapter 7: Watch Group 4: Suburban Diligence 109 7.1 Creating Critical Mass 111 Priority District 111 Deterrent Effect 112 Prone to Burglaries 114 Profile Name = Influence 114 Ladder Campaign 115 Big Houses 116 Coloured 117 Self-Righteousness 117 An Introduction 118 The Bicycle Tunnel 118 S-Neighbourhood 119 7.2 Tensions in the Team 120 Non-Tolerated Spots 121 Tensions in the Team 122 Aliens 123 Not the Only One 123 A New Residential Area 124 Quiet 125 The Police Stops By 125 Taking Pictures 126 Confronting Youths 127 7.3 Conclusions 128 Substantial Community Crime Prevention 128 Strengthening Collective Efficacy 129 Critical Mass as a Deterrent Effect 129 Ambivalence 130 Not Immune to Organisational Perils 130 Part III: Conclusions and Discussion 132 Chapter 8: Conclusions 133 8.1 General Findings About Neighbourhood Watch in the Netherlands 134 Two Types of Environments 134 The Ambivalent Nature of Neighbourhood Watch 135 8.2 Influence and Impact of Watch Groups: Advancing Some Theoretical Notions 136 Neighbourhood Watch as a Deterrent 136 Limiting Opportunity for Crime by Educating and Informing Other Residents 138 Providing Information to Police and Authorities 138 Direct Intervention 139 Summing Up 139 8.3 The Interaction with Professional Forms of Surveillance and Law Enforcement 141 Mixed Image 141 Pattern by Area Status 142 8.4 Moral Implications of Neighbourhood Watch in Light of Securitisation and Digilantism 143 Seeing Through the Lens of Safety 143 Personal Interpretations Differ 143 Disproportionate Control and Social Media 144 Digital Surveillance Techniques as a Negative Driving Force 144 References 145 Chapter 9: Discussion 147 9.1 Between Crime Control and Culture of Control 147 9.2 Points of Interest for Western Governments and Active Citizens 149 References 152 References 153 Annotation Drawing on data from 340 municipalities in the Netherlands as well as ethnographic fieldwork, this book presents original research on neighbourhood watch groups to illustrate how their actions contribute to collective efficacy and lower crime levels. Technological developments like social media and smartphones have changed the landscape of coproduction in public safety, and this book addresses the resultant issues involved with creating effective policy. While digital innovations and securitization have made neighbourhood watch groups effective, they have simultaneously increased the risk of vigilantism, and Lub reveals how stigmatization, ethnic profiling and excessive social control are very real issues, especially in suburban middle-class districts Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 The Rise of Community Crime Prevention (Vasco Lub)....Pages 3-12 Previous Research into Neighbourhood Watch (Vasco Lub)....Pages 13-18 Quantitative Data on Neighbourhood Watch in the Netherlands (Vasco Lub)....Pages 19-34 Front Matter ....Pages 35-35 Watch Group 1: More than Just a Watch Group (Vasco Lub)....Pages 37-55 Watch Group 2: Countering Burglars (Vasco Lub)....Pages 57-72 Watch Group 3: A Team in Need (Vasco Lub)....Pages 73-98 Watch Group 4: Suburban Diligence (Vasco Lub)....Pages 99-121 Front Matter ....Pages 123-123 Conclusions (Vasco Lub)....Pages 125-138 Discussion (Vasco Lub)....Pages 139-144 Back Matter ....Pages 145-150