Description of a Feature that Embodies Aspects of Criminology
There are many aspects of everyday life that embody crime, illegality, crime control, and/or fear of crime. One of the physical features of my everyday environment that embodies these concepts is a neighborhood watch sign that is located near my home. The sign is located at the intersection of two residential streets in my neighborhood. On the top of the sign post, there are two small rectangular signs indicating the names of the streets and pointing in the directions that they run. Below them is the larger, rectangular neighborhood watch sign.
At the top of the sign, the word “WARNING” is printed in black, all-capital letters on an orange background. Below that, on a white background, there is a black graphic that appears to be a man wearing a trench coat and a hat. On top of this is an orange graphic of a circle with a diagonal line through it. Below that, the words “ALL SUSPICIOUS PERSONS AND ACTIVITIES ARE IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT” are printed in black, all-capital letters. Below that, on an orange background, there are two more lines of black text in all capital letters. The first line of text reads, “NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.” The second line of text reads, “WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER!”
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Analysis of the Neighborhood Watch Sign
Although the presence of this sign in my neighborhood may seem like a small aspect of my everyday life, it embodies multiple larger issues of criminology. One of these issues is the fear of crime. The fact that this sign is in my neighborhood indicates that members of the community are concerned about crime occurring in the neighborhood, which may raise the fear of crime among those who see it. Indeed, one quantitative study showed that there is a significantly positive correlation between the presence of neighborhood watch signs and fear of crime in neighborhoods (Scheitzer et al.). Based on this finding, the authors concluded that neighborhood watch signs are among multiple characteristics of the physical environment that can contribute to an increase in the fear of crime in a particular area.
The neighborhood watch sign may also increase fear of crime in my neighborhood because it appears to be relatively new. One study found that the condition of a neighborhood watch sign plays a role in the degree to which it elicits a fear of crime (Wilson et al.). Because the neighborhood watch sign in my neighborhood does not appear dilapidated and has not been defaced, people are more likely to assume that crime is a recent problem and an imminent threat (Wilson et al.). This can raise the level of the fear of crime in the neighborhood, regardless of the real statistics on crime incidence in the area.
In general, the color and formatting aspects of the sign are also designed to increase the fear of crime. When people see the color orange on a sign along with the world “WARNING,” they may immediately assume that there is a threat they need to be aware of, based on their previous experiences with warning signs. Technically, the warning is directed at potential perpetrators of crime, but the bright colors and bold lettering on the sign may be more likely to place law-abiding citizens on alert for potential criminal activity.
In addition to embodying the fear of crime, the neighborhood watch sign in my neighborhood also embodies the politics of crime. The statement on the white background of the sign, below the graphic, has particularly significant political implications. The sign declares that “all suspicious persons and activities” are reported, which raises the increasingly prominent political issue of profiling. There is no clear definition of what qualifies as a “suspicious” person or behavior, so neighborhood watch members may end up reporting innocent people based on demographic characteristics such as their race or ethnicity. A real-world example of this situation is the 2011 case of Trayvon Martin. Due to the fact that he was a young, black male wearing a hoodie, a neighborhood watch volunteer perceived him to be suspicious, even though he was unarmed and simply walking home from a trip to the convenience store (“Fla. Teen Trayvon Martin”). This incident sparked political discussions around the country about racial profiling. These same issues are raised when critically considering the words on the neighborhood watch street sign in my own neighborhood.
Another aspect of the street sign that can be discussed in terms of the larger issues of crime control and the politics of crime is the reference to the police department. This statement must be considered in the context of the recent questions about unjustified use of force by police officers instead of community policing strategies like de-escalation. Political groups like Black Lives Matter have highlighted the increasing propensity of police officers to use force against individuals who they perceive to be suspicious, often based on racial stereotypes or other unjustified assumptions. By referencing the police in its warning to potential criminals, this sign raises the question of what it might mean to call on police officers when someone in the neighborhood believes a person or activity to be “suspicious.”
In conclusion, there are significant issues related to the fear of crime, crime control, and the politics of crime embedded in the neighborhood watch warning sign in my neighborhood. When considering criminality in everyday life, it is important to acknowledge and analyze some of the implications of its presence in my physical environment.
- “Fla. Teen Trayvon Martin Killed By Neighborhood Watch Voluneer.” CBS News, 2017, https://www.cbsnews.com/
- Schweitzer, John H. et al. “The Impact of the Built Environment on Crime and Fear of Crime in Urban Neighborhoods.” Journal of Urban Technology, December 1999, vol. 6, no. 3., pp. 59-73.
- Wilson, Ronald E. et al. “Preventing Neighborhood Crime: Geography Matters.” National Institute of Justice, 2009, https://www.nij.gov/
