ABSTRACT
This chapter considers some of the many individuals and organisations which are engaged in policing in a voluntary capacity. The chapter uses Johnston’s distinction between ‘responsible citizenship’ and ‘autonomous citizenship’ to examine this contribution. The former, covering activities which have some sanction from the state, considers volunteering for the police, such as the special constabulary through to initiatives such as Crimestoppers and neighbourhood watch. The second part covers those activities not sanctioned by the state, such as vigilantism. The chapter assesses traditional vigilantism such as paramilitary justice in Northern Ireland through to modern incarnations that have emerged on the internet, often termed digilantism, such as scam baiting and paedophile hunting.
