Neighborhood Watches Good in Bad Economy

Speed Limit 35 Neighborhood Watch CNN has an interesting interactive graphic about house safety:
When the economy goes down, crime often rises, says Al Lenhardt, CEO and president of the National Crime Prevention Council.
Lenhardt sums it up:
They reduce crime and they reduce the fear of crime …. It’s the golden rule — watching out for others.
Although it’s not well known, Lowndes County, Georgia does have a neighborhood watch program (see picture of a sign), as do some of the cities in it, including I think Valdosta and Hahira.