If you see a crime being committed, your first action should be to call the police. If this is not possible, you may take action to prevent the crime, but you should be careful that you're not putting yourself in any danger. Several states have Good Samaritan laws that require you to take reasonable steps to prevent a crime, but you're not expected to expose yourself to harm by doing so. If you take action to prevent a crime, you may be held liable, either criminally or in a subsequent civil action, and you're only permitted to use reasonable force to stop a crime. If there's no immediate threat of danger to yourself or a victim, the use of excessive force on the perpetrator may mean that you're in violation of the law yourself. As a private citizen, you're not generally protected by the immunity from civil action as a result of your actions taken to prevent a crime. The specific laws differ among the states concerning your rights and responsibilities if you see a crime being committed. For more information about the laws in your state, contact an attorney in your area.
