Other forms of law enforcement in the 20th century

The increase in reported crime since c.1900 has led to additional forms of law enforcement.

Community law enforcement

In modern Britain there has been a return to community law enforcement. This was first seen in Anglo-Saxon England with the use of the to encourage good behaviour within a community and the to catch criminals. However, 20th-century community involvement is voluntary.

Neighbourhood Watch

The first Neighbourhood Watch in Britain was set up in 1982. This was a time when crime rates were rising. The scheme, based on a similar scheme in the USA, raised awareness of crime and encouraged neighbours to look out for one another’s property. Today, Neighbourhood Watch is the largest voluntary crime-prevention movement in Britain, with around 2.3 million households involved in England and Wales.

The aims of Neighbourhood Watch include:

helping the police to prevent crime by members remaining in the community
reducing the fear of crime through community support
reporting crime patterns to the police
supporting communication between the police and the community

Some people believe that Neighbourhood Watch schemes have been positive and made a difference to the amount of crime. Often, local people work together with the police, to reduce crime in communities.

Crime and punishment in modern Britain, c.1900 - EdexcelOther forms of law enforcement in the 20th century