The warning followed a suggestion by Home Office minister Hazel Blears that local neighbourhood watch associations should have more powers to deal with antisocial behaviour.
Nigel Davies, director of the National Neighbourhood Watch Association, said giving local associations more power would make it easier for residents to start legal action against young people whose behaviour they interpret as antisocial.
He is concerned that making residents local justice enforcers could jeopardise attempts by anti-crime partnerships to attract younger members.
"It is dangerous to ask volunteers to enforce antisocial behaviour orders," said Davies, whose association represents 155,000 schemes.
"People join to protect the community but this could turn them into vigilantes. That could have deeply worrying consequences for young people."
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