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An increasing number of people do not know their neighbors, and there is no longer a sense of community. What do you think are the causes of this situation? Can you suggest some solutions? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience. Nowadays, there is a growing perception that a neighbor is more like a stranger next door, and this is obviously true of a newly-established urban community where crime rates are on the rise. Apparently, that kind of friendliness which existed in grandparents neighborhood is replaced by that of ignorance, or even indifference. What might have contributed to this negative tendency could be that today`s young neighbors prefer not to get acquainted with each other, and that modern housing designs also prevent such communication from happening. An increasing number of people, particularly the young adults who have jobs, do not sense the need to know their neighbors. To begin with, most young people tend to be self-centered and do not trust people living near them. It is also possible that working people could not afford to spend time on gossiping about weather, dogs and new babies, in a similar way that traditional neighbors used to do. This absence of communication might turn out to be a dangerous thing, considering that having a friendly neighbor is important to report suspicious activities to the police who handle the crooks. One good solution for this problem is to encourage neighbors to participate in a Citizens Neighborhood Watch Program meant to make it more difficult for bandits to perpetuate a crime nearby. By so doing, people in the same community can know each other and keep intruders away. | 
