New to NHW?

The concept of Neighbourhood Watch goes by many different names such as Neighbourhood Support in New Zealand and Crime Watch in the USA, however the core model of a Neighbourhood Watch remains more or less the same the world over. Whether you are in the UK or South Africa, a neighbourhood watch usually consists of an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a defined area.

The aims of any Neighbourhood Watch group are to minimise the incidence of preventable crime, increase the incidence of reporting crime to the Police, to improve the level of personal and household security, to encourage individuals to mark their property for ease of identification if stolen and to improve the relationship between local Police and the community.

A well run Neighbourhood Watch / Support group also provides reassurance to local residents and thus reduces the fear of crime. Further, it will encourage neighbourliness and closer communities as well as improve the quality of life for local residents and tenants in your neighbourhood.

If you are considering starting a Neighbourhood Watch group in your area,  please click here   to view all the Neighbourhood Watch jurisdictions across Australia, then click on the link to your State’s NHW website from which you can email your interest. Visitors from New Zealand may click here to view Neighbourhood Support’s ‘How to start your own group’ page.