People have increasingly armed themselves to protect themselves from people trying to attack them...or break into...their homes.

But there's another...and more pro-active way...to prevent such intrusions...and it's been around for a long time.

Residents of oak grove organized a neighborhood watch in the summer of 2007, after the area was plagued by a series of break-ins. It's considered one of washington county's major success stories.

"There have been a few incidents even since we started this program," says the program's president, Scott McVicar. "But from community involvement, it's been very good."

And the program is what it says: getting residential involvement to make sure the neighborhood is safe from break-ins and more serious incidents. McVicar says it's as simple as having the neighbors keep an eye on the streets. And he's one of the people who's been helped.

"I know I left for work one day; the children were off to school," McVicar recalls. "A little bit later, we got a call from a neighbor, who told us our garage door was still open. Sometimes a leaf can blow down and block the sensor and keep the door from coming down."

But if deadly force is necessary, local firearms instructor Lee Gilliam says that before taking action, three conditions have to be met by an attacker.

"Condition one is that the defendant is not at fault," Gilliam says. "Condition two is that you have a reasonable and honest belief of danger. Condition three is that you have a duty to retreat."

Nearly everyone I spoke to for this series agreed on one thing...whether it's learning to use a firearm or having others keep an eye on your property, the purpose is to discourage someone from an intrusion into your home...or an attack on yourself.

In other words, ensuring that your home remains your castle.