Why Do Citizens Participate in Community Crime Prevention Activities?

Abstract

The contemporary police cannot improve community safety effectively without the support from community and community residents, which makes citizen engagement in community safety activities a significant issue in criminal justice. The purpose of this study is to examine what stimulates citizen participation in the community crime prevention activities in the British context. The research data was collected from 200 residents of London who provided support for the police as Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The data collected was analysed through Chi-Square test and regression analysis.

Data analysis showed that the concerns about community safety and individual victimisation experiences prompted British citizens to consider becoming a participant of community crime prevention activities as a PCSO. The research findings also revealed that the British people who had victimisation experiences were more likely to become PCSOs compared to the cohorts who had not had individual experiences related to crime. Furthermore, those who had a higher level for fear of crime were more likely to engage in community policing activities. Additionally, the present research suggests that the decisions to take part in community crime prevention activities were based on the cultural background of Britain, namely individualism.