A vigilante is someone who extralegally punishes a criminal, or participates in a self-appointed committee to mete out extralegal punishment to a criminal or criminals.
Members of community watch programs and others who use legal means of bringing people to justice are not considered vigilantes. For example, in 1979 Curtis Sliwa founded the Guardian Angels in New York City, a recognized crime fighting organization that now has chapters in many ot...
more
A vigilante is someone who extralegally punishes a criminal, or participates in a self-appointed committee to mete out extralegal punishment to a criminal or criminals.
Members of community watch programs and others who use legal means of bringing people to justice are not considered vigilantes. For example, in 1979 Curtis Sliwa founded the Guardian Angels in New York City, a recognized crime fighting organization that now has chapters in many other cities. See also citizen's arrest.
The term vigilante has Latin origins: "vigilans/vigilantis"- the present participle of "vigilare" (to watch), and stands now for "watchman" or "watcher". Its etymology is closely related to the word vigilance.
Note that the term vigilantism is a derivative of vigilante, not of vigilant or vigilance. The term vigilante was introduced into English from the northeast United States. Vigilantism is generally frowned upon by official agencies (who would otherwise encourage vigilance on the part of citizens),...
less
